Rebellious Fate: the 2nd Hunger Games
by 66samvr
Summary: The 1st Hunger Games are over, but it's done very little to subdue the madness in the districts. It's time for the 2nd Hunger Games, 24 new tributes, a brand new arena and a call for blood of the rebels' children. SYOT Closed.
1. Prolouge and the Form

_Lennard Colston, 30_  
 _District 10 Rebel_

* * *

"And, that is the story of how the three little District 10 rebel pigs got rid of the big bad pro-Capitol wolf." I closed the book in front of me. "The end."  
Thomas, the seven year-old boy who was curled up in my lap, rubbed his eyes, clearly confused. "That's not how the story goes," he complained, pushing his long dark brown bangs out of his eyes.  
"Well, that's how the story goes to me."

"Mommy! Daddy's making up stories again!"  
Kida, who was busy setting up the baby crib, sighed. "Enough! You two bicker with one another so much, my friends all wonder how on Earth you are father and son."  
"They do?" Thomas asked.

I laughed, ruffling back his hair. "Mommy's just joking. You know how funny she can be." I then sat up, causing Thomas to slip off my lap. "Anyways, it's late. Go get ready for bed. We'll be up in a bit to say goodnight to you." As soon as I said that, Thomas rushed off.  
Kida lay down the baby twins, Mark and Maya, in their crib, before covering them up with a thick blanket. She rubbed her forehead with back of her hand. "Finally, they get settled down without making any noises for once. It's practically a miracle!"

I glanced over the side of the crib, watching them sleep. "Miracles look really cute, huh?"  
Kida smiled. "Yep. Anyways, Lennard, I know that the rebellious streak in you has never ever died down, but please. Don't plant any more of your zany ideas inside of Thomas's head."  
I paused. "Wait...what? Why?"

"Because I don't want them targeting our children. You saw what they did to those rebellious families last year, Lennard. They reaped their children. They forced them into these...these...Hunger Games, or whatever the heck they call them in the Capitol. They had their kids die. Yes, Thomas is only 7, but we could pay the price years later. And I really don't want to lose him because of our own actions in the Dark Days."

I pulled Kida into a tight hug. "There there, sweetheart. We're not gonna lose our children. They can't make them pay for whatever they want us to pay for. They will have to kill me ten times over if they want to even lay a finger on our little Thomas; I'll make sure of it."  
Kida gave a small smile. "...Lennard, tell me. Why did I marry such a rebellious man?"  
"What's wrong with a rebellious man? You know why I hate the Capitol. And I guess...a teenage version of you found that charming."

The small smile turned into a grin. "Still find it charming."  
Kida reached her head up and planted a small kiss on my cheek. In return, I kissed her back, right on the forehead. Back and forth we went, until we eventually had to break away.  
"Like I said, our children will be safe. We'll all be safe. We just need to stick together-"

BAM! BAM! BAM!

"Ah great." I let go of Kida. "Who is it now? Or, what kind of sane person is up at this hour and banging on doors? I'll go check, you just make sure the twins are still asleep."  
Letting out a yawn, I made my way towards the front door and opened it. Outside stood a troop of about half a dozen Peacekeepers, all armed and dangerous looking. I wanted to sigh at their arrival, but decided against it since it wouldn't be a good greeting.

"Um...can I help you, sir?" I asked. My voice was a lot higher pitched than it normally was and was dripping with fake sweetness.  
Clearly not the least bit impressed, the Head Peacekeeper just scowled at me. "Are you Lennard Colston?"  
I opened my mouth to answer, then hesitated. "Yes. Why do you want to know?"

"It's him!" Almost instantly, the six Peacekeepers shoved me against the door and stomped their way inside. They began looking around, peeking in hiding places in search of other rebels and just generally making a mess all over the place.  
"What are you doing!? I yelled. "I didn't invite any of you in! Get the hell out of my house!"

The Peacekeepers ignored me. Despite the fact that it would land me a bullet in the head, I shoved a younger Peacekeeper out of the way as he was approaching the coffee table, which had a vase belonging to Kida's mother on it. The Peacekeeper tried to restrain me, but I blocked him.

As if things weren't hectic enough, Kida poked her head out of the twins' room. "Lennard, what is all the commotion?"  
"Kida! Just...don't let them in the room!" I stepped in front of another Peacekeeper who was trying to loot one of the the cupboards. "Don't let them get to the twins!"

The Head Peacekeeper turned and glared at me. "So, you are hiding other rebels in this house! I knew it!"  
"You son of a-no! Those aren't rebels! You stay away from my children!" As the Peacekeeper trotted towards the room, I ran after him. "YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY-"  
"Lennard, what is the Head Peacekeeper doing here!? Wait...no, leave them alone! No, no...NO!"

BANG!

The world began to feel dizzy and I felt myself slowly but surely crumpling to the floor. Kida, the love of my life, the only girl I ever had affection for, my wife...gone. Just like that, a bullet and an angry Peacekeeper was all it took to separate her from me.  
Two Peacekeepers hoisted me up while a third, a female, left for the twins' room and came back with two whimpering babies. I didn't bother fighting back.

"Daddy?" The sound of footsteps on the stairs could be heard echoing through the house. A few seconds later, Thomas appeared. "Daddy...why is it so noisy?"  
"Thomas..." upon seeing the look that the Head Peacekeeper gave me, I let out a sad sigh. "Thomas, come down here, please."

Thomas trampled down the stairs. When he reached the bottom, the young Peacekeeper who I had shoved aside clamped his hand on his shoulder. The gesture began to worry Thomas.  
"Daddy...there are strange guys everywhere. What happened? Where's Mommy?"  
"Lennard Colston, you are under arrest for your rebellious crimes against the Capitol. Do you have any last requests?"

"...yes...I have three to be exact."  
The Peacekeeper groaned. "They always do this. Anyways, go right ahead. What's the first one?"

"I want to talk to my son." The two Peacekeepers restraining me let go and I pulled Thomas into my arms.  
"Thomas, listen to me. I am going on a long trip and I might not come back. What I need is for you to be a big boy, alright? You need to help care for Mark and Maya and be the best brother you could ever be. Keep them safe. And no matter what, remind yourselves daily about how much daddy loves you."

Thomas opened his mouth to object, but I cut him off.  
"Say it Thomas, "Daddy loves you.'"  
"D-daddy...loves you...?"  
I gave my eldest son a kiss on the head. "Yes my boy, Daddy loves you very much."

"That's enough! Second request?" the Peacekeeper asked.  
"You take good care of these kids. They have an aunt on the other side of the district and I want them to live under her care."  
"That can be granted. Take these kids outside and starting looking up biological information." As soon as the orders were given, two Peacekeepers started dragging my children outside.

Thomas began to scream. "No! Daddy! I don't want to go with them...I want to stay with you!"  
"Thomas," My voice was a lot stricter than the voice I normally used with Thomas. "Go. And remember, I love you."  
I watched as my son disappeared out the door. Though, I swear I heard him mumble "I love you too."

"That takes care of that," the Head Peacekeeper was clearly fed up with everything. "Your third request?"  
"Just..when I go...make it quick, okay?"  
Nobody said anything else as the Head Peacekeeper trained his gun on me.

BANG!

* * *

 **Yep, I'm starting an SYOT. It's my first ever, so expect it to be choppy in some places.**

 **Anyways, here's the form:**

 **Name:**

 **Age:**

 **Gender:**

 **District:**

 **Personality: (sentences, please)**

 **Appearance: (same as personality)**

 **Family: (please put name, age and relation to tribute. Ex: John, 40, father)**

 **Friends: (same for family)**

 **Backstory:**

 **Reaping Day Scene: (what did they do on Reaping Day?)**

 **Reaped or Volunteered: (there should be no volunteers, but I will make one or two exceptions)**

 **Reaction/reason for Volunteering:**

 **Chariot Outfit: (more info below)**

 **Training Stations: (what stations did they use?)**

 **Interview Outfit:**

 **Interview Angle:**

 **Bloodbath tribute?:**

 **Bloodbath Strategy:**

 **Arena Strategy:**

 **Alliance?:**

 **Preferred Death: (not everyone will win, so...)**

 **Preferred Placement: (this might affect where your tributes does end up. For example, if the tributes is expected to place 16th, then your tribute might place somewhere around that point)**

 **Anything Else?:**

* * *

 **Now, you may realize some parts have been cut out. Here's why:**

 **Chariot Rides: Because this is an earlier Hunger Games, I've replaced the chariot rides with something much more simple. The tributes will just be paraded around the city in fancier clothing. They can wear dresses and suits, or dress shirts and blouses.**

 **Careers: They probably don't exist yet, so that covers everything.**

 **Private Sessions and Scores: Once again, doesn't exist this early in the history of the Hunger Games. I imagine this was included later on. The tributes will have three training days, though.**

* * *

 **Other Stuff:**

 **PM submissions only, please! It would just make things easier for me.**

 **No Mary Sues or Gary Stus. If you do send them in, they will be placed in the Bloodbath, no questions asked.**

 **I will take rebellious tributes. However, the more openly rebellious they are, the less likely they are to win.**

 **Not first come first serve. I will take multiple submissions for each slot and will PM you if I have chosen your tribute. You may send as many tributes as you like. I will choose all, some or none.**

 **I think that covers everything! So, send them in!**


	2. New Ideas

_President Sterling Snow, 39_  
 _President of Panem_

* * *

"Please send Taurus Blackman to my office, please."  
"Yes sir," the intercom crackled, then went silent. I folded my hands on my desk, waiting for Taurus to arrive. he would. After all, you should never keep an important man waiting.

Taurus was the genius behind the Hunger Games. It took him only a month to build the forest arena, then add all sorts of things into it, like a river, loads of trees, and a silver Cornucopia. he loaded the tributes up into the arena via pedestals, then had them wait 60 seconds before they could spring off the pedestals and the Games could begin.

Sliver Wirth was the first ever Victor of the Hunger Games. He was a 17 tear-old boy with tall limbs, pale skin and blond hair. Sure he wasn't as exciting as the other tributes, but he wasn't the most rebellious one and would be easy to tame if things got out of hand.  
I hope.

"Sir, I'm here."  
I glanced up from my desk. Taurus himself was standing right in front of me. His signature dark brown hair with blond highlights was all messy and his suit a little disheveled, but he still had his trademark wild and creative look in his eyes. As if the next arena was already being planned.  
"Taurus, please! I may be your President, but you may call me Sterling. Now, let's talk Hunger Games."

"Of course, sir-Sterling. Did you enjoy last year's?"  
"I have to admit Taurus, you really outdid yourself on that one. Really good way to start off the Hunger Games." I smiled at my old friend as a servant appeared and placed down a tray of tea and cookies on my desk. "Thank you. Anyways, what's this year's plan?"  
Taurus paused in thought. "Hmm, I could tell you what arena we have planned, but that would just ruin the surprise. Instead, I'll tell you about a new feature."  
"Go ahead, I'm all ears."

Taurus leaned in forward, adding to the suspense rising in my gut. "Mutts," he whispered in my ear.  
"Mutts? What are mutts?"

"Mutts are a new creation that I just finished. They're like animals, but designed to be deadly. Basically, you take the animals, and unleash them into the arena. They go around killing any tribute they come across, unless the tribute can defend themselves. Last year's games took just under three weeks to finish, which was boring. These mutts can help speed up the Games and ensure them to be a but shorter. Plus, we can use them to keep rebellious tributes from winning."

As someone who would never want a rebellious Victor running around Panem, this was good news to me. "Really? You can program these mutts to kill certain tributes?"  
"Sir, I can make these mutts do anything. And, they'll add a new sense of urgency to the Games. See a mutt, panic, kill nearest tribute. Make hem becoem the victim instead of you. Fight to save your ally, get killed in the process. There's a lot we can do with these mutts."

I sipped from my teacup." They certainly sound interesting. I look forward to seeing the arena when time comes."  
"You will not be disappointed, sir."  
"Taurus..."  
"Sterling. Sorry, sir-I mean Sterling!" Taurus laughed to cover everything up. "Force of habit!"

"Bad one, too. So...how's the family doing?"  
"You mean my family?" Taurus asked.  
"Of course. Your wife, Cassiopeia, and your...daughter, I believe it was? What was her name again...Vegra...Virga..."  
"Virgo, sir?"

I snapped my fingers. "Yeah, Virgo! How is she?"  
Taurus rubbed the back of his head. "Just turned 13 earlier this month; a teenager now. Just gonna ask you, because you have much more kids than me, but do they all get funnier around this time and age, or is it just Virgo?"  
"They're all like that, Taurus. Anyways, you get back to your arena and your mutts. I can't wait to see what other surprises you have in store."

Taurus stood up. "I promise sir, that I won't let you down."

* * *

 **Meet President Sterling, Snow's father from back in the day!**

 **I also wanted to introduce you to the Head Gamemaker, Taurus Blackman and his zany ideas. Like mutts.**

 **Submissions are still open and you may send in as many tributes as you like! The submissions won't close until I've received at least 4 submissions for one spot, or we hit June 2nd (the day when all submissions close). I'm giving you lots of time so send the tributes in!**


	3. The Unlucky Survivor

**If you haven't submitted any tributes yet, please do so now. I need at least 24 tributes before I can start writing the reapings. Until then, I'll be cranking out worthless junk chapters, like this. To those of you who did submit (you know who you are), thanks!  
**

* * *

 _Sliver Wirth, 18_  
 _Victor of the 1st Annual Hunger Games_

* * *

The fancy Capitol radio had been playing some sort of song about how love had been given a bad name by a band I didn't recognize. Once the final notes finished, a new song began to play.  
 _"Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother, you're stayin' alive, stayin' alive-"_

I quickly shut the radio off. While the song was quite catchy, I was sick of it. During my Victory Tour a few months ago, it was all the the Capitol could think of blaring when I visited the place. To be honest, I didn't want to hear about I lived and 23 other kids died because I was sick of it. Sick of all the hype. I didn't feel like I had lived through anything exciting at all.  
Then the phone rang.

I picked it up, not really wanting to answer anyone's questions about my life as a Victor, but I did anyways. "Ugh...hello?"  
"Geez, what's your problem? I mean...hey, sunshine. It's Christoff."

I had to force myself not to let out a loud groan. Just like every other mentor, Christoff was from the Capitol and was trained in the arts of survival and bloodthirsty Games. His job was to teach and guide me to victory, which he successfully managed to do. Still, he was as sarcastic as I was, maybe even more. And when you put two salty men in a room together, you got nothing nice.  
Please don't put me in a room with Christoff.

"Hi Chirstoff. What the hell do you want now?"  
"Oh man, wake up on the wrong side of the bed, sunshine? You sound terrible."  
"Thanks for the compliment. Now, what is it? You never call unless you have some news to tell me. And usually it's bad news. Plus, there's nothing else that could make my day. So spill."

A sigh emitted through the phone. Clearly Christoff didn't want to tell me. "Okay, fine. Look...Sliver. You've probably heard this from everybody and their brother about a billion and one times now, but you're a whoop-de-do freaking victor. Yay. Good for you. I couldn't care less. But victors have responsibilities too."  
Christoff sounded sincere. Not good, not good at all. "Responsibilities?" I asked him. "When you say responsibilities...what the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh, did President Sterling not tell you already? Too, too bad." Christoff was clearly enjoying the fact that he had all the information. "Anyways, you're taking my place now."  
"...what!?"  
"You heard me. I'm done mentor duties and it's your job instead. President's orders."  
"Mentor duties...mentoring the tributes...I can't mentor! I don't know how! And why me!?"

"Stop being a drama queen. The way the President had put it, the victors are supposed to mentor the tributes from their district. The Capitol mentors are just there until some random kid wins. Since 8 won last time, I'm supposed to step down and you take over from there."  
"Geez, I know exact crap about mentoring! I'm not even that good with kids...or...teenagers in this case! I wouldn't know what to do, what to say, what advice to give..."

"Just do what I do," I could just imagine Christoff enjoying my worry and fear. "You'll be fine. Plus, I'll be there to cheer you on."  
If the comment was going to make me feel better, it didn't do anything to help. "It's not the same."  
"It never was the same. See you, sunshine." With that, Christoff hung up.

I hastily put the phone back on its stand, dropped my head in my hands and sighed. Mentoring the tributes? Me? How in the name of the great country of Panem was I going to pull this off? Would the tributes even listen? Or, would they become the first deaths?  
Feeling anxious, I headed downstairs. My mom was cooking some roast beef for dinner and smiled when she saw me.

"Sliver, sweetheart, what's wrong? You look very gloomy today."  
"I...it's nothing" I muttered. It was practically a routine. Leaving my mother and younger sister out of things I never felt like discussing. Mentoring fell under that category for sure.  
"You sure? You sounded very upset when you were on the phone."  
"No, it's fine. Just...a...a misunderstanding, yeah. We got it all sorted out. What's for dinner?"

"Beef. Straight from 10, apparently. Nice and fresh. Go get your sister, tell her that it's time to eat. And make sure that she washes her hands!"  
I knew that my little sister, Taffeta (or Taffi), would be playing in the backyard, so that where I checked first. Sure enough, she was tossing around a beach ball that I had been given by a kid when I visited District 4 during the Victory Tour.  
"Hey Taffi! Come on in, it's dinnertime."

Upon hearing the last sentence, Taffi dropped the beach ball and ran inside. I followed her to the bathroom and pulled out the stool tucked underneath the sink so that she could reach it. Once we washed up, I set the table as Taffi eagerly watched my mother cut a huge slice of beef, stick it on a plate and push it in front of my seat.

I pushed the plate back. "I'm not that hungry."  
My mom looked up, quite surprised. "You sure? You love this meat."  
"Well, I just...I don't have a big appetite today. It's nothing."

I don't think I'm actually fooling anybody, but my mother cuts me a smaller slice anyways. I take the bigger piece and dump it on Taffi's plate, which gets a huge look of surprise from her and she happily starts digging in. After dinner, my mom takes Taffi upstairs to get her ready for bed, while I start reading some book I found on one of the shelves.  
"Okay," my mother sighed once she was back downstairs. "You're hiding something from me. So spill."

"Fine...Christoff retired."  
I said nothing else, letting the news sink in. "Seriously?" my mom gasped. "The guy's like, what, only 20? What made him retire so early?"  
"He...he, um...he said that mentoring wasn't his passion. Also, I'm taking over for him."  
My mother let that sink in too, then she started laughing. "You mean that you've been quiet this whole day...just to tell me you're taking over for Christoff? Sometimes, Sliver, I just can't believe you!"

I let out a small laugh too, then headed upstairs. Okay, I kinda did tell her the truth, just bent it a little. What was I supposed to say?  
"Hi Mom, Chistoff said that because I'm a victor now, I'm the one charge of mentally preparing kids for their death because the Capitol thinks that's totally a good idea?" yeah, that statement wouldn't fly with her. Plus, what I said sounded nicer.

I pulled back the blanket on my bed, then climbed in. Sleep was exactly what I needed to forget this day's turn of events.

* * *

 **In this story's universe, the 1st Hunger Games were won by District 8's first ever male tribute, Sliver Wirth, at age of 17 (Sliver is 18 now because this story takes place about a year after he won). Sliver will now mentor the 8 tributes, while the others will be mentored by a Capitol mentor.**

 **(Like said before, I need tributes! So...please submit!)**

 **What did you think of Sliver? How about Christoff? Do you think Sliver will be a good mentor? Do you wanna see more of Christoff in the future?**


	4. Even Rebels Deserve Love

**I've decided that I'm going to change to first come, first serve in order to fill up the submission spots faster. So far, I have three out of the 2 tributes I need. Keep submitting!**

* * *

 _James Lorein, 24_  
 _District 6 Rebel_

* * *

"What!? You can't be serious!" I gasped. Julia, on the other hand, just shook her head sadly.  
"Sorry James, but it's true. The Peacekeepers got Lennard Colston last night and killed him. Rebels are dropping like flies all over the place, it's just chaos." Upon hearing those words, I knew that Julia was right.

Before the Dark Days, citizens of Panem were allowed to travel freely from district to district, as long as they carried their identification with them and all that fancy stuff. Of course, I had gotten the chance to meet District 10's rebellious Lennard Colston and even helped him bomb a silo the Capitol soldiers were meeting at. While Lennard never failed to show his rebellious side, people in 6, like Julia and I, were a bit more lowkey and quiet about our positions among the rebels.

"Well, you win some...you lose some. I'm going home; I've got something special planned for tonight."  
"Sounds lovely. I've gotta get back to my husband too. I'll see you tomorrow, James."  
"Bye, Julia."

The walk from our secret rebel meeting spot to my house across the city was long and tiring, but I sped up and walked faster, wanting to get back home as quick as I possibly could. When I thrust open the door, a delicious and appetizing aroma had filled the air.  
I headed into the kitchen, where my boyfriend, Kenny, was making dinner. Quietly, I slipped my arms around his waist and gave him a big hug, which he didn't notice until he accidentally spilled some grease all over his hand.

"Ah! James!"  
"Oh, I'm sorry baby, did I scare you?" I asked, trying my best not to laugh.  
"Ugh, I...I hate you!? Kenny muttered as he wiped the grease off his hand, scowling. But soon, the scowl turned into a huge grin. "I just can't stay mad at you. You're...you're full of surprises."

"Isn't that why you love me?" I teased, grabbing a set of plates from a cupboard. I was the only one who could reach them because Kenny was at least half a foot shorter than me.  
"You're right. Mainly because you always know how to wear me down." Kenny filled the plates with the roasted chicken and we sat down to eat.  
"So..." Kenny muttered as he scooped up some chicken. "Where were you today?"

"Rebel business." I muttered, through a mouthful of chicken.  
"Again!? James, you know how I fear for your safety and that I've told about a million times that it's not safe to-"  
"And you know that I ignore you every one of those million times," I responded. "But the Peacekeepers shot down a rebel in 10 last night."

Kenny covered his mouth in shock. The one thing the two of us had in common was that we both hated the Peacekeepers. Other than that, nothing else. I was tall, Kenny was short, he was optimistic, I was bitter, he was kind and gentle, I was unfriendly and antisocial. Go figure.  
"I didn't know...are you okay?"

"I'm not really in the mood for talking about it. He's dead, there's nothing that we can do about it."  
The mood soon shifted from rather peaceful and pleasant to somewhat gloomy and uncomfortable. After we finished eating, Kenny began washing our dishes as I dried them and put them away. Neither of us said anything else as we worked.

"So..." Kenny muttered as I put the last dish away in its cupboard. "What are we gonna do tonight, if we're doing anything at all?"  
"Well...I wanted to go for a walk outside...wanna come with me?"  
Kenny put aside the book he was planning on reading. "Sure. Could use some fresh air anyways."

We left the house and began walking around the city. However, I began leading the path to the edge of 6, where an old hill was standing. Kids would come here all the time; in the summer to roll down the soft green grass and in the winter to use their sleds and speed down the hill.  
I wasn't going for the rolling or the sledding. It was for something else.

"Remember this place?" I asked quietly.  
Kenny's hazel eyes widened. "It's...it's where...you first confessed to me...several years ago."  
"Yep, that's right. What do you say that we stay up here for a bit longer?"  
I sat down on a patch of dark green grass. Kenny followed my lead and lay back with his head in my lap. It was always the little moments like these...in which I wished that the world would stop rotating...time would stop moving...I could just stay here forever...with the boy I loved so much.

I remember the first time the two of us had come here. As a teenager, I always felt that it was the norm for a boy to want to kiss a girl, to love her, to hold her hand. As someone who didn't really enjoy doing any of that, I felt that there was something wrong with me.  
Then I saw the 17 year-old him on the street...and everything went haywire. I began blushing, dreaming, following him around just to see even more of him. I also began to have a nagging itch that I had a crush on him when the truth dawned on me.

 _I liked boys._  
I came out to my parents that night. They were confused at first, but then they figured that it was fine; according to them, I could bring home any guy or girl I wanted, as long as they were a nice person. The next day, I asked Kenny if he could meet me on the hill overlooking our district. I confessed, telling him that I thought I was in love with him and he said that he felt the same way. I brought him home to meet my parents and I swear that they loved him more than me.

Now six years later, I was here not to confess, but to do something else. "Hey...Kenny?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Could you stand up for a second..?"

Kenny obeyed, confused. I got down on one knee in front of him.  
"James! James...what on Earth...what are you-"  
"Ssh, just let me work my magic."

Out of almost nowhere (really, it was my pocket), I produced a little grey box. "Kenny, I've always known from day one that I loved you...yes, in a gay way. I've really enjoyed the past few years we've spent together and how comforting you were when I was going through hard times. So...it would make me so proud...if you were to stay with me just a little longer."  
I flipped open the lid of the box, revealing a shiny gold ring. "Marry me?"

It really felt as if time stopped. Suddenly, Kenny let out some sort of scream and threw himself at my arms. We crashed to the ground, smiling and laughing.  
I slipped the ring around his finger. Sure, life in 6 was terrible, the Peacekeepers hated me and I had nobody on my side, but I had my boyfriend.  
And he as all that mattered.

* * *

 **Until I have enough tributes so start the Reapings, I've decided to crank out chapters about life for the rebels. My first chapter was about Lennard, so here's one about James.I hope you like him.**

 **I know that it's probably gotten on your nerves, but I still need more tributes! So, please...submit, submit, submit!**


	5. District 9 Reaping

**What's this? Vr has actually started writing the stupid Reapings for once? Yay, let's celebrate!  
With a call for the death of a bunch of kids :D**

* * *

 _Pellia Sheath, 12_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

I lay my head down on a patch of wheat, curled up against the fence, and disappeared into my previous memories. Happy ones. Before District 9 surrendered. Before we lost our rebellion. Before my dad was introduced to alcohol. Before he began to look for someone to blame.  
Someone caused us wheat farmers to lose to the Capitol. Someone was behind all of this. My dad needed to look for the person who caused us to lose.

So he chose to blame his family.  
Why? Well, why not? My mom was a stay-home mother, who was the one who convinced my father to stay inside the house while the fighting raged on. He blamed us for not allowing him to go and fight against the Capitol, to help his injured friends, to do something good for our district.  
 _He's a changed man,_ Winnow had told me. And he was.

I used to view him as a changed man, who would go back to being the kindly father once the bottle was empty. But it wasn't until he gave Winnow that nasty concussion that I realized the truth. He wasn't afraid to hurt anybody around him, including his two daughters.  
"He's a monster," I whispered to myself. "He's a monster. A big...bad monster..."  
The workers could be heard in the fields nearby. But I didn't care. As long as nobody intruded into my little wheat shelter, my special spot, I was safe.

"Pellia? Oh, come on! Get up!"  
I has spoken too soon. My two best friends, Rian and Leigha, were standing over me. Rian knelt down and extended a warm hand towards my own. "Come on, you have to go to the Reapings today. So, we need to get you ready."  
"I'm...I'm scared, you guys. I don't want to go to the Reapings."

Leigha let out a laugh. "Come on, silly. We have to go. We're 12, remember? This is the age when everybody has to start going!"  
"Fine," I grabbed onto Rian's hand and he pulled me up. "But...can I have lunch at your house? I don't want to go home."  
We began walking through the district. A trip of Peacekeepers walking by gave us some weird glances. In return, Leigha scowled at them and then put a protective arm around my shoulder. When we reached my house, I felt a rising feeling in my gut.

"I'm...I'm home!" I called. Both my father and mother turned their heads to look at me. One was siting on the couch and reading the newspaper, a bottle of booze in other was chopping up some vegetables for lunch. I couldn't see Winnow anywhere.  
"Where's Winnow?"  
"She's...out," my father muttered. "Only because she asked for permission to leave. You've been gone all morning. Where the hell were you?"

"I..." I didn't want to tell my father about my special spot, but I couldn't just lie to him either. "I..."  
Smack! went his hand and I stumbled backwards, blinded. Once my vision cleared, my mother had both her hands over her mouth and my father was glaring at me.  
"Next time, you tell us that you're heading out before you go wander off! Do you want to go get yourself killed!? Do you!?"  
"I, uh...I...n-no!"

"That's what I thought." my father took a sip of booze. "Now go wash up. And next time, you tell us that you're leaving the house.  
"Or else."  
 _Or else._

* * *

 _Terran Straw, 16_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

I glanced up at the sky. "Don't worry, Terran," I told myself. "It's fine, she's just...late. Yeah, that's all."  
It was pretty normal for my girlfriend not to arrive on time, knowing her crazy family and all. But I was hoping she would show up. To be honest, I was really worried about the reaping, mainly because I was apparently still eligible and because of last year-

"Terran...I'm...I'm here!" Winnow huffed as she slowed down in front of me. I smiled warmly at my girlfriend and gave her a small kiss on the cheek.  
"Oh, thank goodness. I was beginning to worry that you'd never show up."  
Winnow laughed; her voice sounded like an angel's. "I'd never do that to you. It was just hard getting my dad to let me go. Anyways, what do you wanna do today?"

"Let's go for a walk," I suggested, as I pulled her hand into my free one; the other was carrying a small bouquet of flowers. We headed down the gravel road. This part of 9 was always fairly peaceful, with very few people coming up and down this way. A middle-aged man holding a sleeping toddler said hello, a wealthier looking man tipped his hat at us and a group of 10 year-old girls squealed as we passed by.

"Where are we going, babe?" Winnow asked me. "Come on, I wanna know."  
"No, it's a surprise."  
"Aw!" Winnow couldn't help giving out a small giggle as she tugged on my hand. "Please?"

I couldn't resist the eyes she made at me. I wanted to tell her, but decided against it. "No. That would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?"  
Winnow sighed. "You're a funny guy, Terran." But she kept clutching my hand as we walked.

Finally, we arrived at our destination. The District 9 graveyard.  
Winnow seemed shocked and surprised that I would take her to such a disturbing place. But her expression turned into a sad one as I placed the bouquet of flowers down at one of the graves. _June Revolls, aged 17_ , it said. _Lost to the First ever Hunger Games.  
_ I actually wondered what my cousin felt when her name was called. The rush of fear. The certain death. The worry that the Victor...may not be you.

"Oh...Terran.." Winnow placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "I'm so sorry..."  
"It's okay. Let's head back to the town. My parents want me back home so we can have lunch together."  
Back down the gravel road we went, neither of us letting go of the other's hand. When we finally stopped in front of Winnow's house, I gave her a peck on the cheek, then headed back to my own.

* * *

 _Pellia Sheath, 12_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

The room felt somber as the four of us ate. My dad sat on one end of the little wooden table, alone. Clearly, nobody wanted to be around him in case his temper and alcohol got the best of him and he'd start looking for a target to hit.  
Once we finished up lunch, I headed upstairs and changed into an old blue dress that had been in my family for at least three generations and despite the small tears and loose threads here and there, it would stay with us for many more. I pulled my short blonde hair back into a ponytail before going back downstairs.

My mother was washing the dishes that we had used for lunch, still in her normal clothes. "Pellia, sweetheart, once Winnow comes downstairs, you two can start walking to the Reapings yourselves. Your father and I will follow up later. Remember, we meet back here after it's all done."  
"Sure mom," Sure enough, Winnow came down wearing a grey dress that belonged to Mom beforehand and we left for the Reapings.

About halfway there, Winnow's boyfriend, Terran, appeared and she broke away from me to go walk with him. I saw Rian and Leigha coming over, and waved to let them know where I was. The three of us linked arms and continued walking, chatting happily all the way.  
Once we reached the Justice Building, Leigha pulled me aside to where we had to sign in. A younger Peacekeeper was sitting at the table. "Names?" he asked us.

"Pellia Sheath and Leigha Sifter. We're both 12."  
After the Peacekeeper signed us in and pricked our fingers with some sort of needle, we found the 12 year-old section and waited nervously. Once the time hit, our mayor appeared up on the stage. Just like he had done last year, he began to read what he called The Treaty of Treason, explaining to us the consequences of the Dark days and our punishment: the Hunger Games.

"I'm scared now," I whispered to Leigha. She gave me a comforting look.  
Our Capitol mentor, Calendria, approached the stage, lookign rather nervous. But who could blame her? She took a couple of steps towards two big Glass balls that had the eligible names in it. One for the girls, one for the boys. Calendria took a deep breath, then drew a names from the ball for the girls.

"Pellia Sheath!"  
At first, I was confused. Then, I started screaming. A pair of Peacekeepers came over, grabbed me by my arms and started dragging me to the stage. I was a mess, screaming, crying, whimpering.  
I had just been Reaped.

* * *

 _Terran Straw, 16_  
 _District 9 Male_

* * *

I didn't know what to think. Pelila was my girlfriend's little sister! What could I do about that?  
The fear was present on Calendria's face. "Well...any volunteers for Pellia?"  
The crowd was silent. We had all seen what had happened to our tributes last year and nobody wanted that to be them. I looked at Winnow, who was shaking and sobbing beside me. She couldn't volunteer for her sister; her parents had told her that they didn't want her to do something that stupid. She was stuck.

Calendria pulled out a male name next and I could tell that she was praying she didn't get another 12 year-old. "Terran Sheath!"  
Winnow looked like she was on the verge of losing it. I patted her on the shoulder, then made my way through the sea of 16 year-olds and up to the stage. Pellia had stopped crying and was staring at me sadly. Asking me with her eyes what we were gonna do now.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your tributes for the 2nd Annual Hunger Games!" Calendria announced. To me, she whispered, "This is where you shake each other's hands."  
I thrust my hand towards Pellia and she shook it nervously. What she didn't know was that I had a plan forming in my mind.

The Peacekeepers led us inside the Justice Building and I was taken to a back room. Waiting, I sat on the velvet couch inside, until my parents came rushing in.  
"Terran!" my father gasped. "How could this...why you out of all people?"  
I smiled at my dad sadly. "I don't know...maybe because the Capitol shot me three times during the Rebellion and I survived? Maybe they'll want me gone for good."

"Oh, those darned Capitolites," my mother sighed. She was not happy about me being reaped, even in her shell-shocked state. "Just...do your best. We won't ask...anything else of you...okay?"  
I gave both of my parents a large hug. "Okay."  
Once they left, my girlfriend came running in.

"TERRAN!" Winnow shrieked and launched herself at me. "No...not you and Pellia...I don't know what to say."  
"Don't worry sweetheart, I'll make sure that Pellia is safe and sound."  
"But...but what about you, Terran?"

"What about me?" I asked, clutching Winnow as tightly as she was holding me. "Your sister is clearly more important to you. If I can't come back, then she will."  
Winnow wasn't very happy with my decision, but she nodded anyways. "Just stay out of trouble. I...I love you, Terran."

"I love you too, Winnow."

* * *

 **There we go, our first Reaping! Thanks to District 9 Tribute for both these...er...District 9 tributes. Submission spot are still open, so don't be afraid to send a tribute in!**

 **Anyone who knows me knows that I like to make Opinion Charts. So, if you decide to make one yourself, that is perfectly fine with me! As a matter of fact, it might help shape who the Victor will be...  
Let me know what you think of our first Reaping and I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	6. District 1 Reaping

_Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Come on, Foxy. Please eat something," Aunt Adore begged, pushing the bowl of oatmeal in front of me. I declined by pushing it back to her. It was nice that Aunt Adore always tried to have me stay strong and healthy, but I didn't care at all. Oatmeal wouldn't erase my past mistakes.  
Dasma, my older cousin, just shook his head at me. "You know Foxy, if you want, you can come with Lucia and I. We're going for a run this morning. Wanna join?"

I shook my head. Dasma just shrugged, then turned to his sister and they started chatting away. They were used to me saying very little; I never did speak to them, unless it was extremely critical. I pulled on my jacket, left behind a note that said I'd be back for lunch, then headed outside.  
Adelaide was just where I expected her to be. Sitting on the font porch, reading a book. As soon as she saw me, her face lit up.

"Mom! I'm gonna go out with Foxy! I'll be back for lunch, don't worry!" To me, she said, "Sup, Fox! What are you doing today?"  
"Nothing..." My own voice sounded weird to me, mainly because I almost never used it, unless I was with someone like Adelaide. She understood everything I've been through. She knew why I never spoke. She knew about my views on the Capitol. How wrong I had been about them, how late it was to change everything.

"Alright, nothing sounds good to me too. How about we go for a walk?"  
I shrugged, honestly not caring. "Sure."  
The marketplace wasn't that far away. We decided to head down and see what the merchants were selling this morning. A tanned, muscular man was pulling a cart full of who knows what. A girl about my age, with long blonde hair and grey eyes, was setting up the jewellery stand. A black-haired lady was placing hats on a rack she brought with her.  
Adelaide seemed to be able to tell I wasn't interested, but she offered to buy me something anyways. I politely refused and we left the merchants to go attract some other potential customers.

When I got home, Dasma and Lucia had just arrived, both covered in a layer of sweat. I grimaced at them and their smell, before heading up to my room, even though Aunt Adore was calling us for lunch. I didn't care and just wanted to be alone.

* * *

 _Carina Pitchcoff, 17_  
 _District 1 Female Tribute_

* * *

Business was pretty slow today and to be honest, I was a bit disappointed. I wanted to make a little extra money before Mom and Dad dragged me home so we could go to this stupid Reaping thing. I for one, found it pointless. The Hunger Games! It sounds like the kind thing you find in stupid storybooks. I didn't like the idea of a bunch of kids dying every year, it sounded pointless. But of course, my opinion would never be considered by the Capitol.

 _Someone please buy this stupid jewellery I spent hours crafting,_ I begged with my eyes as customers walked past me. But of course, nobody came. My parents say that my gruff attitude sometimes scares away a person if they don't know any better, but I think they're just being over dramatic. Especially my mom.

Eventually, noon was fast approaching. I realized I wasn't gonna sell anything today, so I packed up and carried it all away from the marketplace. I dropped it all out first at Alderen's house. He was the man who taught me how to craft and sell jewellery and technically the business was his. But I took over the selling portion since his strength wasn't what it used to be anymore.  
"Hey kiddo," my father smiled at me when I came in through the door. "Where have you been all day?"

"Out," I muttered in my usual gruff and uninviting way. I went to my room, changed out of my clothes, grabbed a fresh towel and headed for the shower. But as soon as I turned it on, I was hit with a splash of ice cold water.  
"Ah! Tiger!"

My older brother popped his head into the bathroom. "Oh yeah. Just had a shower before you got home. Sorry, sis."  
"I'm gonna...I'm gonna kill you once I get out of here!" I yelped at him.  
Tiger just smirked at me in a goodhearted way, then disappeared. Muttering curses, I finished up my shower and got dressed into some nicer clothes. Mom and Dad had just prepared lunch when I came downstairs and we started eating.

We did talk about a couple of things, like Dad's new promotion, the "interesting" conversations Mom overheard the mayor have with some random girl in his office, but we avoided talking about the Capitol and their Games. It didn't seem worth our time. Plus, Tiger said that they'd be done in a couple of years.

I hoped he was right.

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

I left as soon as I possibly could to head to the Reapings. There was barely anybody there, just a couple Peacekeepers setting up. They gave me weird looks, but one offered to check me in and directed me to where all the 17 year-olds would stand.  
Now, all that was left to do was wait.

Gradually, the families started pouring in. Those who were eligible, like me, went to their designated section. The others stood on the edges and prayed that their son, daughter, brother, sister, cousin, friend...managed to make it out of this year's Reaping alive.  
But just like last year, two families would go home, wondering what to do now that they would forever be missing one person.

For the most part, my section was quiet, until there was a loud slapping noise and a bit of a feud between a group of 17 year-old girls. Other than that, we waited patiently for the Reapings to start. I began to wonder if I would be picked. My parents lost their lives in the rebellion...perhaps it soon would be my turn?

 _You're overthinking this, Foxy._ I told myself. _You're gonna be fine._  
Of course, that was all up for fate to decide.

Our escort and mentor, Benjamin Tassle, came p on the stage. He was a bit more tanned than last year and I think he dyed his hair brown instead of its usual black, but I didn't care about his looks too much. He reached until a glass ball filled with names and pulled one out.  
Carina Pitchcoff!"

The girl was shocked at first, but her surprised expression quickly melted into an indifferent one. She looked a lot like that blonde-haired, grey-eyed girl I had seen in the marketplace. Then I realized that they were the exact same person.  
Benjamin gave Carina a sympathetic smile, then drew a second name.

"Foxy Champagne!"  
As I headed up to the stage, I could feel myself questioning everything I thought I knew about the Capitol. If they really were the guys I knew them to be.

Being reaped does that to you.

* * *

 _Carina Pitchcoff, 17_  
 _District 1 Female Tribute_

* * *

Foxy looked like a nice guy. His hair was an interesting color; a mix of chestnut and auburn, he looked very strong and his skin a shade between pale and tan. But looks could be deceiving and I knew that the hard way.

I gave his hand a firm shake before we were ushered off the stage and I was taken into a small room that looked like it had seen much better days and smelled of sweat. I sat down on the velvet, dusty couch, waiting for my family to arrive. I knew they would; they had seen me get reaped.  
Mom and Dad rushed into the room first, followed by Tiger. They threw their arms around me and the room was filled with muffled sobs. Finally, I managed to pry them off of me.

"Carina...I don't know what's going to happen in the arena...or to you for that matter...but whatever does happen...just remember...you're my daughter and I'll always love you!" Mom sniffed, hugging me again. I knew that she was trying to make me feel better, but I just felt nervous instead.  
"Yeah, um...okay. Thanks, Mom."

Dad gave my hand a tight squeeze. "You'll do great honey. You'll be fine. You're a tough woman, a fighter who doesn't go down easily. But I love you too. So does Tiger...right?"  
Tiger smiled back. "Yep, we're all one big happy family. But, can I say goodbye to Carina on my own?"

Both Mom and Dad nodded, clearing out the room. Tiger sat down on the couch next to me. "Okay...confession time. When you were born...I..."  
"Yes...?"  
"I asked Mom if we could get a refund and get a boy instead."

"Tiger!" I slapped him on the small of his back.  
"Ow, you hit hard!" Tiger chuckled, rubbing the sore spot. "But in all seriousness Carina, please come back to us."  
A Peacekeeper popped his head in and told my brother that his time was up. So he left before he could hear what else I had to say.

"I'll try..."

* * *

 **I think it's pretty obvious the Reapings won't be in order. But I hoped you enjoyed Carina and Foxy. Thanks to Tribute00 and Oli2Fab4u for this pair.  
The D2 reapings should be coming out in the next couple of days. So stay tuned for them!**


	7. District 2 Reaping

**I don't think you expected the 2 Reapings this quickly, but that's just how I roll.  
Spots are still open, so...y'all know the drill.**

* * *

 _Lena Evangelos, 18_  
 _District 2 Female Tribute_

* * *

The first ever Hunger Games was playing on television, a cruel reminder to the districts about the importance of today. I felt a lump of sadness form in my heart as I watched Erin follow her ally from 4 across the green forest. Erin turned to a camera and beamed into it.  
"I'll come back soon, Lena. Try not to worry."

Those were the last words she ever said to anyone. The boy from 4 had a knife. He whirled around and stabbed Erin in the chest. She crumpled to the ground and was soon proclaimed dead.  
I turned off the TV. No sense in watching to see the boy from 4 die at the hands of the kid from 8. Nothing else mattered, ever since Erin was killed.

It was all that I could think about.  
Erin and I...we had always been close as kids. Carefree, curious, gutsy and always joined together at the hip. We'd do whatever the hell we wanted, from chasing each other around a mountain of rocks, to hiding out in the marketplace with a couple bottles of liquor. We enjoyed living life the way it was supposed to be lived and nobody else could tell us what to do.

And I ruined all of it.  
I told Erin we could run away, together. She trusted in that dream too much, decided to volunteer for the Games, knowing that the victor would receive endless amounts of cash. Maybe if she didn't volunteer, we could still make the dream come true.  
"There's no point in dwelling on it, Lena." I told myself as I headed downstairs. Mom was making some pancakes and bacon for breakfast. dad was already at work (quarry miners don't sleep in on Reaping days) and my little sister, Eve, was eating quietly.

"Hey, Lena" Mom called, covered in bacon grease. "Want some breakfast?"  
I was about to decline, then decided against it. I'd need my energy if I wanted today to go how I wanted it to. I filled my plate with pancakes, freshly cut strawberries and strips of crispy bacon. I sat down next to my sister and dug in.

Eve reached out and gave me a pat on the head. "Hey Lena, wanna come with me and my friends to the park? They kinda miss all the...crazy stuff that you used to do..."  
I knew that her comment meant well, but I just shook my head. "No."  
"Come on! What happened to the old you? The daredevil you? The...fun you...?"

"Eve," my mom placed the last of the pancakes down on a separate plate to keep warm for Dad. "Please leave your sister be. She doesn't feel like going to the park with you today and you can't just pressure her into things that she doesn't want to do."  
Eve pouted and I just gave her a look of sympathy. Besides, I couldn't waste all my energy on the park.

I'd need it later.

* * *

 _Adonis Rupture, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

To say that my siblings and I didn't have the best relationships would be an understatement.  
There were five of us and me being the youngest meant that I was often babied by our parents. I was still a teenager, the rest had grown up all four of them had become the same thing.

Peacekeepers. A troop of the most intimidating, bitter, manipulative Peacekeepers that you had ever seen.  
The only one of my siblings who was home this morning was Octavius, who had the afternoon shift. As I helped Mom clean up after breakfast, he just sat there. Drinking his coffee and reading over the daily reports from yesterday. As I picked up his empty plate, he gave me a look.

"Remember your job, brat."  
"I haven't forgotten."  
"Good. Would be quite a shame if Minerva, Faustus and Bruttia were to find out you backed out last minute, wouldn't it?"  
I paused. it would be a nightmare if Bruttia knew that I backed out. She was aggressive. She was the one who used a knife on me when we got into a heated argument.

"Shut up," I hissed.  
Octavius just smirked.

"Adonis," my father called from upstairs. "Could you give me a hand?"  
"I'm coming!" Grateful for the distraction, I found my father fixing an old ceiling tile upstairs. He asked me to hold the ladder steady while he repaired everything. Once the tile was back in place, he climbed down the ladder and handed me his toolbox.  
"Thank, Adonis. Could you please put this where it belongs and go get changed?"

I brought the toolbox downstairs, avoiding my siblings' stash of Peacekeeper weapons. Once it was put away, I headed back upstairs to change.  
 _Remember the promise._ The last thing that my siblings told me was still in my head. They forced me to remember. They wouldn't ever let me forget.

Sometimes, I wish I wasn't the youngest of this family. Sometimes, I wish that like my brothers and sisters, I was also in my twenties, training to become a fearsome Peacekeeper. Sometimes I wished I forced promises onto them. Maybe then they wouldn't pick on me.

* * *

 _Len Evangelos, 18_  
 _District 2 Female Tribute_

* * *

After lunch, I left almost right away for the Reaping. My parents and Eve told me that they'd catch up later, which was fine with me. I wanted to walk alone anyways.  
Once I checked in and went to the 18 year-olds section, I felt a sense of cliche, like I had been here before. I had been standing in almost the exact same spot with Erin last year.

Thinking about Erin gave me a sense of sadness, but I tried not to think about it. There would be plenty of time to express my sadness later. But not now.  
Other families had started to arrive; I saw my parents watching me out of the corner of my eye. The spaces filled up fast and soon, it was time for the Reaping. District's 2 mentor, Jasmine, arrived on time and the Reapings began.

The first thing up was the speech. The Treaty of Treason, they called it. I zoned out through most of it, wanting to speed up the whole process. Finally, Jasmine announced that she was going to pick this year's tributes. She reached into a glass ball of girls' names and pulled a slip out carefully.  
"Rhea Garnier!"

A small girl, Eve's age, began walking up to the stage. She had red hair and green eyes that sparkled with tears. The fear on her face was noticeable and she was quivering in her boots as Jasmine placed a comforting arm around her.  
"Any volunteers for Rhea?" she asked, but Jasmine's tone indicated that she was sure that there would be none.

If only she knew...  
"I volunteer!" I yelled, raising my hand so they would notice me. Rhea breathed a loud sigh a relief as Jasmine let her go and I took her place. Despite the surprised and upset looks from my parents, I knew that I had to go in. I was competing for Erin and if I ended up dying in the process...so be it.

I was competing for our dream. The dream we came up with together.  
The dream that I had planned to fulfill.

* * *

 _Adonis Rupture, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

"She's crazy," I muttered to myself, watching the volunteer step up onto the stage. The girl introduced herself as Lena and she had black hair that had faint green streaks and a blue feather, as well as green eyes. But still she had volunteered and I thought that was crazy.  
But not as crazy as the promise.

Jasmine clearly hadn't expected any volunteers, but she recovered quickly from her shock and gave Lena a firm nod. She then reached into the other glass ball and pulled out a name from the bottom of it.  
"Tetraites Sheol!"

A 12 year-old boy, clearly confused about what was going on, made his way to the stage. Jasmine just shook her head, then glanced back to the crowd. "Any volunteers for Tetraites?" she asked, sounding almost desperate that someone would save this poor little 12 year-old boy.  
That someone would be me.

"I volunteer!"  
As soon as I stepped up on the stage, I noticed Bruttia standing nearby, watching me. She gave me a rather sinister grin and I quickly turned away from her.  
 _I remembered the promise,_ I thought.  
I shook Lena's hand as the anthem began to play, then the Peacekeepers on the stage led us inside. I sat there for a while, until my parents came rushing in.

"Adonis!" they both screamed, surrounding me with hugs and kisses. I allowed myself to feel warm in their embrace, knowing that these were two people who loved and cared for me.  
"Why..." my mother sobbed. "Why...did you do that, Adonis!? You're gonna get yourself killed!"  
I wanted to tel her about the promise, but I couldn't. My siblings would never let me.

"Because..." was all I managed to say. My father wasn't satisfied with my answer, but he didn't try show it.  
"Well, you're young and curious and I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But please come back to us. We really don't want to have to lose you."  
There was a rapping on the door and my parents got up, gave me their last hugs and left. Soon, my four siblings filed in.

I felt small under their broad statures and wicked looks. "I...I remembered the promise."  
"Of course you did." Bruttia smirked. "Of course you did. Looks like you're not some weak prissy giant after all."  
I was more than happy to watch them leave, giggling. As I sat alone, i began to wonder if I should've just backed out of the promise when I had the chance.

* * *

 **That was the District 2 Reapings! Thanks to RenderUntoCaesar and Oli2Fab4u for this dynamic duo, Lena and Adonis!  
Anyways, I still need tributes! Check my profile for frequent updates and to see what spots are still left. In the meantime, let me know what you think of these two tributes!**


	8. District 7 Reaping

_Fennel Rielman, 15_  
 _District 7 Male Tribute_

* * *

It seemed like a normal day in 7. And for us, it was. We were meeting in our favorite spot under an old pine tree, awaiting the latest orders from Jax.  
"Alright, we're just gonna review for now. After the Reapings we all meet back here and practice, got it?"

Kara, Pete, Arbor, Sydnee and I all nodded. The six of us had decided to form a band called "The Lumberjacks" (well, it was mainly Jax's idea) and sing and perform together. When we realized that none of us actually owned any instruments or knew how to play or use them, we went for something much more simpler and fun...acapella. I liked learning how to use my voice to replicate an instrument. I was the tenor member of the group, mainly because I sounded better doing high notes than low ones.

We all pulled out our sheet music for our latest song. As a group, we had written and perfected two songs, though they were both mainly my idea. They were called "Why Do They Call It Freedom When We're A Dictatorship?" and "I Hate The Capitol."  
Catchy, eh?

Jax started off singing like he usually did and then we all joined in. Beatboxing, altos, sopranos, baritone, it was all there. Halfway through the song, I caught a small group of Peacekeepers watching us warm up and instantly began to feel nervous. Did they know about the songs I came up with? Was I in trouble?  
"Cut, cut, cut! Fennel, you messed up two of your cues. Are you okay, buddy?" Pete asked.

"Huh?" I turned away from the Peacekeepers the rest of the Lumberjacks staring at me. "Oh yeah, it's nothing. Can we try that again?"  
Jax sighed and began the warm-up. We practiced different sounds that could be used to replicate different instruments in order to make a song. Jax occasionally helped out with tips like "Fennel, you missed another cue. Arbor, you need to be louder. Kara, it's too soft for us to hear and dammit Fennel, stop missing all your cues!"

Finally, Jax threw his handsd up into the air and groaned. "You're all distracted today! What's going on!?"  
Sydnee shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because it's Reaping Day and at the very most, two of us could get chosen?"  
"You're just being paranoid. Alright, everyone's dismissed. See you guys later."

I got up, packed away my sheets and began the walk home. Mom and Dad were preparing lunch when I arrived. "Hey Fennel," Dad said when he saw me. "Where have you been all morning?"  
"Out..." I muttered. "You know with my friends..singing like we always do."  
"You better not be writing those songs against the Capitol," Mom warned me. "They'll get you into all sorts of trouble and you won't be able to dig your way out."

Mom always told me that warning. but that just brought out the fun in rebelling...not listening to what anyone had to say.

* * *

 _Everly Asfaw-Pratt, 14_  
 _District 7 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Thanks for the oatmeal, Mrs. Flynn," I called to Mackenzie's mother before we started heading down the street. My friends, Nellie and Mackenzie, seemed to have sensed my worry about today, so they decided to spend the day hanging out with me so I wouldn't feel so nervous. That was real nice of them.  
Before going home themselves, Mackenzie and Nellie offered to walk me back to my own house. My family had already finished breakfast and were all hanging out in the living room.

"Hey Mr. Asfaw and Mrs. Pratt," Mackenzie waved at my parents. "You two look really fancy today."  
"Mackenzie!"I hissed at him, feeling my cheeks blush at the comment. But my parents took no notice; my father even laughed."Well thank you for that kind compliment. Everly, you said you wanted your hair done today?"

"Oh yeah!" I glanced over at my older sister, Natalie. She smiled and led me to her room, where she kept all of her hair stuff. After giving my shiny blonde hair a quick brush, she began to braid it as quickly as she possibly could. We were almost done when my younger sister, Verity, walked in.  
"I want my hair to be braided too!" she told us, plopping herself down in my lap. Natalie and I just laughed, as I began to work away on Verity's hair. My fingers weren't as precise and gentle as Natalie's were, but the fancy braid was more than enough to satisfy Verity.

"I look so pretty!" she squealed, getting a glance at herself in the mirror. Once Verity left, Natalie showed me my own hair in the mirror. "Well? What do you think?"  
"I think it looks nice. Where did you learn to do that?"  
"Practice. You know, later today, I could show you how to do it properly if you want."

"Really? I'd love that!"  
We agreed that when we got back from the Reaping, Natalie would teach me. We headed downstairs for lunch, which was some sort of vegetable soup, garlic bread and beef leftover from yesterday. I sat between my mother and brother, Sawyer, as Verity began talking away about how she and her best friend went to go play Hide-and-Seek in the forest and how good she was at hiding. I didn't say much and just kept eating. The food was amazing and I practically starving anyways.

Possibly, this could be the last time I had a meal with my family. So I decided to cherish every last second if it.

* * *

 _Fennel Rielman, 15_  
 _District 7 Male Tribute_

* * *

After lunch, I got changed into a white dress shirt and nicer pants than what I had been wearing earlier. Downstairs, my parents were already waiting for me and my little brother, Forrest.  
"Are we ready to go?" Dad asked. He didn't wait for a reply; he was already shoving us out the door.

It didn't take long to get to the Justice Hall. Mom and Dad told us where we would meet up and then sent us off to go get checked in. Once they had pricked our fingers, I found myself in the 15 year-old section, Forrest in the 12 tear-old pen, at the far back. The view from where I was standing was pretty decent and I found myself next to Arbor.  
"Good luck," he whispered to me.

Our mentor, Allegro, arrived right on time along with the mayor. Everything went as smoothly as it could've possibly gone. The speech was delivered, that ugly video show and soon Allegro announced that it was time to pick the tributes for this year's Hunger Games.  
Allegro dipped her hand into one of the two glass balls on the stage and plucked out a name. She opened the slip and read it out to the crowd.

"Everly Asfaw-Pratt!"  
A girl that was from the section behind me began to cry. A pair of Peacekeepers gently approached her and attempted to lead her over to the stage. When she refused to go with them, they grabbed her and dragged her had blonde hair, brown eyes, ears that kinda stuck out and tears streaming down her face.

Allegro gave Everly a warm smile, but the girl didn't seem to notice. She stuck her hand into the second glass ball, pulling out another name. I held my breath.  
"Fennel Reilman!"  
Arbor's face fell and then it dawned on me. My legs carried me to the stage, but I felt like I was in a trance instead. This...this didn't seem real.

Perhaps those Peacekeepers knew more than I thought.

* * *

 _Everly Asfaw-Pratt, 15_  
 _District 7 Female Tribute_

* * *

Fennel was much taller than me. He had dark skin, brown hair and black eyes. When Allegro told us to shake hands, he just kinda stuck his out distractedly.  
I still couldn't believe it. Me? Reaped? I had never committed any crimes against the Capitol. I was never rebellious. I hadn't harmed anyone or anything. Yet here I was, standing on the stage, preparing for my certain death.

I tried not to cry as I was led down the hall into a room that held a musty velvet couch. As soon as I was alone, I lost control and broke down. To be honest, the crying made me feel a little better.  
My family were the first people to come in. My mother, father, my sisters, my brother, All five of them surrounded me with hugs and kisses and whispers on how scared they were that I might not come back.

"We're not asking you to take a sword and just slit everybody's throats," my father told me. "We want you to try and come back to us. We love you very much Everly and this...this is...really painful...having to say goodbye like this."  
"I know," I muttered softly.

"I'll miss you so much, sweetheart." my mother sobbed, wrapping her arms around me one final time. I returned the hug, then watched sadly as father led my mother out to calm down, leaving me alone with my three siblings.  
Sawyer's face was hard to read as he gave me a little peck on the cheek. "Good luck, little sis" he whispered before walking out.

Natalie took my hand into hers. "You'll be alright, Everly. I have faith in you."  
"I know, I just...wish I wasn't Reaped...so we could go back home and...I could learn to braid hair." My voice gave way under those last words.  
"Me too." Natalie gave me a giant hug. "Good luck" she murmured into my ear before she left as well, making Verity the only person left in the room with me.

Verity just gave me a comforting smile. "Good luck!" she said in her usual cherry way before she too walked out and I was left alone. Not sure of what to do next, I dropped my head in my hands and began to cry once more.

What had I done to deserve getting Reaped?

* * *

 **And that concludes the District 7 Reapings! Thanks to MessyModgePodge for Everly (Fennel is my tribute, by the way).**  
 **Tell me what you think of Everly and Fennel!**

 **Currently, I only have 7 spots left, 2 female, five male. So, I'll need to fill up those spots as well. You can check my profile for tribute updates and don't be afraid to submit a tribute...or two...or five...**


	9. District 4 Reaping

**Sorry for the long wait. I think that as I write, the periods between updates will start to get longer, mainly because I'll be busy next week and on top of that, I'm trying to finish up several other stories in order to make room for my SYOT and dedicate more time to it.**  
 **Now, I've wasted enough of your time. Here's the District 4 tributes!**

* * *

 _Anya Kai, 16_  
 _District 4 Female Tribute_

* * *

The smell of bacon lingered in the air when I woke up the next morning. Clearly, my father and mother were up, making breakfast. I quickly got dressed, then headed downstairs in order to grab some of the bacon before my brother ate it all. I knew he would try his best to.  
Dad was making himself a cup of coffee, while Mom was sitting at the table and reading a daily report from work. As the mayor of District 4, she was a very busy woman and we all knew that it was best to leave her alone when working.

"Morning Anya, sweetheart," my dad called to me while he added some sugar and milk to his cup. "Good thing you got down here before your brother did!"  
I laughed along with him. "Yep. Boys this age are always hungry, huh?"  
"Trust me, I was like that a long time ago. Still am. Dany! Breakfast is ready!"

My brother hurried down the stairs and reached for one of the biggest pieces of bacon sitting on the table in front of us. But before he could take it away, I snatched it up from him and popped it into my mouth. I smiled mischievously and he just scowled.  
"Hey, that wasn't fair. I demand a rematch!"

"You snooze, you lose, dear brother." I laughed, chewing away. Dany gabbed another piece of bacon and munched on it, glaring and seething at me. But his winter grey eyes had an amused twinkle to them and I could tell he knew that I was just messing around with him, the way that sisters often did. We were pretty close, always had been since birth.  
"Alright you two, play fair." Mom muttered, clearly distracted. We finished up our breakfast, then Dany and I headed outside to the pool sitting in our backyard.

"So..." I scooped up a handful of the crystal clear water and glanced over at my brother. "How do yuo feel about today?"  
"I'm fine. I know that I'm supposed to feel nervous or anxious, but...I don't. My name's only in there twice. I haven't had to take that terrasoil...teared-up-sae...whatever they call it."  
"Terrasae," I wanted to laugh, but didn't. "You're probably right. There's a very low chance that we will actually get picked."

As Dany submerged himself and swam to the bottom of the pool, I waited until he came back up. When he finally did, I threw my handful of water into his face.  
"Augh...ANYA! he yelled, but he soon splashed me as well. we went back and forth, getting each other soaking wet and laughing about it like no tomorrow.

* * *

 _Dany Kai, 16_  
 _District 4 Male Tribute_

* * *

Wrapping myself up in a dry towel, Anya and I stepped into the house. We had tried to dry ourselves off as best as we could, but we still smelled of chlorine and pool water.  
Dad wasn't the happiest with us when he heard us enter, "Seriously!? This house of gonna smell of outside; you both know how much your mother hates that. And I just cleaned up the floor. Now you've gone ahead and dripped water all over it!"

"Oops," I muttered sheepishly, glancing behind me at the little trail of pool water dripping onto the floor.  
"It's fine, I'll clean it up. Just go take a shower."

I probably spent about 20 minutes in there, washing the chlorine scent of out my straight blond hair. Anya wasn't too happy that I got to use the shower before her, but she hopped right in once I finally got out. I dried myself off, then put on some fresh clothes, a clean T-shirt and a pair of shorts. As a second thought, I put on some deodorant to help clear up whatever smell was still left.  
Once I left my room, I ran into Mom. "My, don't you look nice. Anyways, get ready for lunch."

Lunch was some leftover salmon and a bunch of crabs dad had caught. I quickly sat down and dug in. While we ate, I told my family some random story I once heard about my friend's brother, who had a nasty run-in with a flock of crazy seagulls. I swear, my parents and Anya couldn't stop laughing the whole way through.  
After lunch, I offered to help my parents with the dishes. It seemed that with the three of us, all the washing and drying went a lot quicker than it normally did.

Soon, once everyone was ready and the last dish had been put away, we left for the Reapings. Anya and I found the check-in table with the Peacekeeper sitting at it in no time. We checked ourselves in, found the 16 year-old section and began to wait for what this year's Reaping had in store.

As I waited, I could only make up one though.  
 _I hope it's not me..._

* * *

 _Anya Kai, 16_  
 _District 4 Female Tribute_

* * *

The Reapings began with the Dark Days video. I tuned most of it out and waited for Mom's speech on how the districts were forced to pay for their acts of rebellion with these Hunger Games. Two tributes chosen, forced to fight to the death, all of it was there.  
Once Mom finished, she made way for our escort and mentor. Rainna was probably about 20 or so, which would explain her enthusiasm about having some more pupils to be educated and mentored about how to survive the Hunger Games. She was wearing a bright sea-blue dress.

Rainna slipped her hand into the glass ball and pulled out a slip from along the bottom without looking, to keep results as random as possible. She unfolded the name and turned it to the sun a bit so she could make out the words. Finally, she took a dramatic beat as she went to read the name out loud to the rest of us.  
"Anya Kai!"

Tears began to blur my vision and I could feel myself trembling. A Peacekeeper approached my section and grabbed my arm, pulling me up to the stage. By the time I got there, everyone was staring at me but I had managed to stop crying. But seeing my mother sitting nearby and doing her best not to sob made me feel even worse.  
"Isn't this exciting?" Rainna asked. "And now, here's our male tribute!"

I didn't hear the name. But as soon as I saw him leave the 16 year-old section and make his way up to the stage trying his best not to break down, my stomach began to churn inside and out. I lost it completely and started crying all over again. Because there was one thing worse than going into the Games.

And that was going in with your twin brother.

* * *

 _Dany Kai, 16_  
 _District 4 Male Tribute_

* * *

I wanted to cry as well. But I didn't. I felt too shocked to do anything, except give Anya a hug. "It's gonna be okay, Anya." I whispered. "It's gonna be okay."  
I was lying to the both of us. It wasn't gonna be okay.

Rainna was chirping away about how excited she was as Anya and I were led into the Justice Building. I sat in silence until the door creaked open and my best friend, Valentina, sadly made her way in and sat down on the couch beside me. She placed a comforting hand around my shoulder.  
"Where are my parents?" I asked her.

"I think they're saying goodbye to your sister, so I decided to visit before they came in. We're all gonna miss you, Dany. It must really hurt having to go into these Games with Anya."  
"It does," Anya and I had been as close as peas in a pod and now the Hunger Games would destroy all of that.  
Valentina gave me a hug before she got up. "Good luck," she muttered, before leaving.

Mom and Dad were my next visitors. They rushed in and showered me with lots of hugs kisses, tears and all sorts of sayings on how they were upset to lose both of us and that they didn't wanna see us go. I returned the affection, knowing that things would never be the same in our household again.  
"Be strong, Dany." Dad told me. "You and your sister...be strong."

"I will, Dad."  
"Get on the Capitol's good side," Mom instructed. "They're the ones with the power over who lives and who dies. Don't do anything rebellious and you'll be just fine."  
"Really?" This was news to me, but Mom was the politician in the family and I knew better than to question her judgement.

Mom gave me one last kiss. "Do it. And you and Anya will live."  
Right. It wasn't just my survival I was fighting for. My sister and I would watch each other's backs until the day we died.

It was what we did best.

* * *

 **So, that was District 4! I hope you liked this pair of tributes!  
As you may have seen on my profile, I have officially gotten my last tribute, so thanks to everyone who sent one in! Review to let me know how you felt abut the Kai twins and stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	10. District 12 Reaping

**After this chapter, we'll be halfway done the Reapings! Also, if you're looking for a really interesting SYOt to submit to, check out District 9 Tribute's SYOT! I won't spoil anything for you!**

* * *

 _Caxton Beel II, 17_  
 _District 12 Male Tribute_

* * *

"I'm, warning you kid, rub me the wrong way one more time, I'm gonna bruise you so hard, you're gonna be the color of coal dust!" Rhett hissed at me.  
I wanted to laugh but I didn't. Rhett was a year older than me and a year stronger, which meant he had a high chance of taking me down. But I had a good feeling that I could outsmart him.  
"Oh, you think you're all muscle and bones. But I bet you can't even throw a punch properly!" I laughed.

This definitely upset Rhett. He tried to launch himself at me, but two of his friends grabbed him by the arms and yanked him back. "Down do it buddy, he's just trying to make you mad."  
Rhett continued to struggle away. "Let me at him! I want to punch his smug, little, handsome face in. Let me at him!"

I knew I should've just walked away or something, but I was too caught up to even think straight. "Really? I'd like to see you try!"  
Rhett pulled his arms out of his friends' grasp and lunged ta me. Before I had time to block myself or fight back, his fist collided with my face and I fell over. As Rhett went to take another blow, someone grabbed me from behind and yanked me out of the way in the nick of time.

"Sane!? What are you doing here!?"  
"Shut up, Caxton. Alright, you got what you wanted, you punched his face. Now, leave the kid alone and get out of here before I get the Peacekeepers on your measly little trails!"  
Rhett scowled as he beckoned to his croonies and the group of them left. As soon as they were gone Sane released his grip on me. "What the hell were you thinking!?"  
"I thought I could take him...I knew I could, he just...he just caught me off guard!"

"Did you really think you stood a chance!? They're all older than you and they've been doing this thing longer than you have. This isn't your little slap-hands fight and roast-downs you did when you were 12. You've got to be smart about this Caxton, I can't always be there watching you!"  
I've been chewed up by multiple people on multiple occasions, but hearing the disappointment in Sane's voice was different. he was the only person in all of 12 who actually cared for me. He knew when to fight and when to stay on the sidelines. He taught me everything I needed to survive out here. He was the one who kept me...well...sane.

* * *

 _Tihi Lowe, 15_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Thanks, deary." Adha smiled as I helped her clean up the shop. "So, what are you and your parents up to today?"  
It was very common of Adha to want to know what was going on with my family, mainly because she had no kids of her own. That was probably why I was the only one who helped her out in the shop, but also because it distracted me form classmates who would try to make fun of me.

"I don't know...something about Reaping Day, I guess?"  
"Yes well, that would be a logical answer on a day like this. Because of the horrible deaths that last year's kids had to suffer, we should all a reason to be worried today in case we or someone close to us is chosen."  
I pulled the broom out of the corner where it usually stayed and began to sweep the layers of dust, dirt and who knew what else off the floor. Adha helped me, saying, "My mother taught me a quote about this once. 'Closed eyes, heart not beating, but a living love.' I wonder what it means."

One thing that separated me from most kids my age was because sayings like that, I couldn't quite understand. I knew it was somewhat related to today, but I couldn't figure out why. I could spend all day attempting to make sense of that quote and I never would. Instead, I decided to forget it and continue sweeping.  
Once I finished, Adha took the broom from me. "Go home, sweetheart. Your parents probably want to spend a bit of time with you today."

Adha was right; as an only child, my parents would want to be with me today. After washing some dirt off of me, I headed home. Dad of sewing together a couple pieces of leather and Mom was fixing up a stand that held several pairs of shoes. As the owners of the only shoe shop in District 12, almost our entire first floor was dedicated to selling them.  
I decided to take a quick shower, then changed into some nicer clothes. Then, I headed downstairs for lunch.

The atmosphere was silent while we ate. Which was fine with me because I didn't feel like talking.

* * *

 _Caxton Beel II, 17_  
 _District 12 Male Tribute_

* * *

My dad, the original Caxton Beel, was passed out on the couch when I got home. I made myself a small sandwich for lunch. As I ate, my dad stirred lightly, then sat up. He was holding a half-empty bottle of alcohol and smelled of it too.  
"Uhhhhhhh...hey, Caxton. What's today again? I forgot."  
"Reaping day," I muttered in annoyance. "You should really stop drinking. I'm tired of wasting all my hard-earned cash on you."

"Oh son, stop being so dramatic. You go on ahead to the Reapings by yourself, I'll catch up in a bit. I just have a nasty hangover."  
Rolling my eyes, I put on a nicer shirt. The dirt on the other one reminded me of Rhett punching me in the face, so I grabbed a mirror to check out the damage. A blackish-blueish mark was forming on the ridge of my nose, just between my eyes.

I sighed. Just great. But since there was nothing I could really do about it, I muttered a hurried goodbye to my dad, then made my way to the Reapings. Several other kids my age or a bit younger were already there. I checked in, then found an isolated spot in the 17 year-old section, where I stood.  
Once the mayor gave her speech and the Reapings began, a rather plump, but kind-looking woman named Marissa appeared. She had brown hair that had streaks of pink and carefully drew a name from the glass ball.

"Tihi Lowe!"  
A girl, a bit younger than me, made her to the stage, looking stiff and robotic-like. Tihi quietly took her spot beside Marissa, who drew another name, this time for the boys. I sucked in my breath. Hopefully, hopefully...

"Caxton Beel...the second!"  
I could feel my face flushing with anger and my hands clenching into fists as I walked up towards the stage. Most people knew me because of my father's betting habit, which was not a good image. I wanted to punch something, or fight someone, but I held it all in until I was taken to the Justice Building.

* * *

 _Tihi Lowe, 15_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

Caxton had tanned skin and grey eyes, like me except his hair was short and black while mine was red. He seemed rather upset about being reaped, which was understandable. Marissa said nothing the entire time, but to me, she looked like she wanted to avoid Caxton's fists entirely.  
Following the Peacekeeper into the Justice Building, I sat until the door opened and my parents came in.

"Oh Tihi...what will we do without you?" Mom sobbed as she gave me a hug; I felt rather squashed in her arms. "We're gonna miss you so much."  
"I know," The response didn't feel right but I had idea what else to say. I let Mom hug me until she decided to let go, crying quietly.

Dad put an arm on her shoulder and whispered something into her ear. Mom nodded and left. Clearly, the grief of losing her only child was too much for her to bear.  
It was now Dad's turn to say goodbye to me. "Tihi, I can't guarantee anything, but you'll make us proud, no matter what."  
"Okay..." that response didn't feel right either. "I...I love you."

"I love you too, my dear. You'll be in our prayers, no matter what."  
Before I could ask what Dad mean about that, a Peacekeeper poked his head in. Dad exited without another word and I was left alone. My mind began to wander and soon, I was thinking about that quote Adha had said to me.

 _Closed eyes, heart not beating, but a living love._

Now I knew what it meant. That my friends and family back in 12 would love me...even if I were to die.

* * *

 **So, that's the 12 Reaping! I kinda struggled a bit portraying these tributes, but I hope I did them justice!**

 **Next chapter, we'll have a bit of a look on the President's family, then we'll head back to the Reapings. So stay tuned for that!**


	11. Interlude: Kids These Days

**Here's the interlude I promised! Right afterwards, we'll be onto the Reapings. This is just to give you a bit more information about the President's life and family.**

* * *

 _President Sterling Snow, 39_  
 _President of Panem_

* * *

I could say that things hadn't ever been better.  
Daily reports sent to me by the head Peacekeepers in each district told me that more and more rebels were being exposed and killed for their crimes against the Capitol. Taurus would show up at my office almost daily, going on and on about how fast progress was being made on the arena. He often stayed until he decided to head back to his work or I kicked him out.  
Usually, it was the latter. But Taurus was a close friend for the longest time now and I was one of the few who was used to his...zany side...

CRASH!

"Oops..."  
"Oh no, Coriolanus! Dad is gonna be pissed!"  
"Ssh, he's right there! We can't let him know!"  
I dropped the reports on the table. The crashing sound had occurred right outside my office. I opened the door and caught four guilty faces staring back at me. "What is going on here?"

My children gave each other glances, before their eyes all fell on the youngest, Coriolanus. His blue eyes stared back and he glanced up at me in an innocent and apologetic way. "Sowwy..."  
"It's okay, Dad." Zachariah muttered, bending down to pick up the broken pieces of the vase. "Hey guys, help me out here."  
"What happened? One of you better start explaining right now."

Theodora sucked in her cheeks and sighed. "Coriolanus was playing with his toy airplane, when it got stuck behind the vase. We offered several times to help him get it out without destroying everything, but he refused and accidentally knocked the vase over."  
I sighed and bent down so I was at level with my youngest. "Coriolanus, is this true?'

"...I'm so sowwy, Daddy! It was a accident!"  
"Remember to say 'an' instead of 'a', son. Alright, someone else can clean this up. In the meantime, can you go to my office? I want to talk with you four."  
The kids headed into my office while I snapped my fingers at an Avox nearby. "Could you clean up this mess? Also, don't tell my wife."

The Avox nodded. Hanging her head, she picked up the broken pieces while I closed the doors to my office and faced the kids.  
"What are we gonna do, Dad?" Alexander asked, spinning around in the chair at my desk. "That was Mom's favorite."  
"It's fine. She'll understand. Now, who remembers the Hunger Games from last year? You all should, you were alive for it."

"Oh yeah! man, that was crazy!" Zachariah laughed. "Remember that idiot from 5 who jumped off his pedestal? Did he honestly not hear the warning? Such an idiot!"  
"Well, Taurus wants me to get a couple of opinions on what he should keep in this year's arena."  
"Really?" Theodora asked. "Did he give you any arena hints?"

"No, but he's like that. So, what do you guys want to see in this year's Hunger Games?"  
"That Cornucopia thing," Theodora suggested. "The way all the supplies were inside it and you had to fight for them...that was a nice touch."  
"I thought that was clever too. Alexander?"  
"The whole faces in the sky thing. You know, showing the tributes who died that day. It looked really cool and was helpful."

"Indeed. He's really good at holograms. Zachariah?"  
"Uh...I don't really know...I just don't want them to drag on forever like the last ones did."  
"They probably won't-oof! Yes Coriolanus, what to you want?"

The 3 year-old boy who had randomly plopped himself down in my lap stared up at me. "Watch Games!"  
"You sure? But you've seen a lot of reruns already!"  
"Please Daddy?"

"Alright, alright." I shoved the reports out of my way and pulled up my laptop. Zachariah, Theodora and Alexander crowded around the screen as the video popped up. and the first ever Hunger Games began.  
The camera followed the girl from 2 as she rose from her tube into a lush and beautiful forest. A lot of tributes seemed stunned, but even more so by the huge Cornucopia. The first death occurred when the rebellious District 5 male jumped off his podium, setting off a huge explosion and coating the nearby tributes with blood.

Then, the frenzy kicked in. The boy from 1 swung a mace at the girl from 9, knocking her head in. The boy from 3 tumbled to the ground as the girl from 11 sawed his legs off with a sword. The girl from 10 jumped at Sliver from 8, but he swung a katana at her in a form of self-defense, accidentally pierced her heart.  
The next death didn't happen until the girl from 2 was stabbed in the back by the boy from 4. But after the girl from 7 starved to death, two tributes met up.

Sliver brandished his katana. The boy from 4 tried to stab him with a knife, but was too slow and Sliver slit open his throat. The pair from 12 were attacked by the girl from 11, who was attacked by the boy from 2. The boy from 9 died from blood loss after he suffered a nasty injury and the rather unstable girl from 1 ended up killing herself.

Slowly but surely, the numbers died down. Soon, only the boys from 2, 10 and Sliver were left standing. The boy from 2 easily took down one of his opponents, but when he looked up it was too late. Sliver yanked the bloody katana free and gave the camera a confused look once the trumpets sounded.  
"Wow," Alexander muttered. "Did you see the way he pulled that off? So cool!"

"I know. And he looks good for his age too." Theodora gushed."  
"Wonder if the 8 tributes have a chance this year," Zachariah pondered.

"Only time will tell. Anyways, off you go. I still have to tell your mother about the vase that a certain troublemaker broke."  
"Aw come on Dad! Not fair!"

* * *

 **Y'all remember Sterling, don't you? Anyways, these are his four kids. Zachariah, Theodora, Alexander...and Coriolanus/Mr. Soon-to-be-a-dictator-and-screw-up-everything.  
I kinda imagined Sterling as a rather kind father. He can be a bit of a grammar nazi at times, but just cares for his children a lot. Is it just me, or does he only slightly remind me of Lennard? (you should all remember who Lennard is).**

 **Also, I gave you all a small tidbit of what the 1st annual Hunger Games was like. You can see Sliver, Lena's friend Erin and Terran's cousin June. Maybe I could write a random oneshot about the first Hunger Games sometime...**

 **We'll be back to our Reapings next chapter!**


	12. District 3 Reaping

**Back to the Reapings we go, just like I promised!**

 **Though, this chapter is a little more...descriptive...than some of the others. If you're not into that sort of stuff, proceed with caution, please.**

* * *

 _Demara "Dem" Filenfire, 15_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

I dug into the stack of pancakes Mom had placed in front of me for breakfast. Honestly, in a place like 3, stuff like pancakes were a very special treat. And since today was a special day, Mom got up extra early to put them together for my brother Johnson and I to eat.  
I finished up and placed my dirty dishes in the sink. "Mom, do you mind if I go to the laundromat for a bit?"

Mom hesitated. "...sure. But make sure that you come back in time for lunch, okay?"  
"Alright. Thanks Mom."

The laundromat was located only a few streets away and I got there in no time. Miss Kripp, the owner of the laundromat, smiled when she saw me. "Hi there, Dem. Came to help me out again?"  
"Of course! What's on the agenda for today?"  
"Well, there's not much going on, but I suppose you can get everything ready for customers when they come in."

The laundromat wasn't as busy as it usually was. As the afternoon approached, less and less people showed up. I had just grabbed a new bottle of detergent, when I caught sight of two girls, probably two or three years older than me, standing at the door. They were chatting with one another.  
"Hey guys! What can I do for you today?"I took the dress from her. It didn't take very long to get the dress cleaned and I gave back to the girl in no time. Both of them were watching the TV.

"Oh, finished already? Thanks...hey, no offense, but you kinda look like that guy on the TV there."  
I glanced at the screen. A talk show host in the Capitol was being featured and soon the spotlight appeared to reveal his guest. I felt a sting of hatred upon realizing who the guest was.  
Him.

My father laughed along with the host as they talked back and forth about new exciting Capitol technologies that would rival those from 3. I watched him in pure disgust. Who did he think he was, being allowed to raise a family in 3, then abandon them for a girl twenty years younger and pretend that he invented some of our great creations?  
"Are you okay?" one of the girls asked me. My face turned red and I blushed furiously.

"Yeah...I'm fine."  
I wasn't fine. The hate for my dad burned in me until I got home.

* * *

 _Valkner Stross, 18_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

I Placed a hunk of cheese on the mouse trap and waited. Eugene slowly crawled out of an opening in his cage toward the food. Once he was close enough, the trap activated on grabbed him by the tail. He squeaked furiously and I just burst out laughing.  
"Oh Valkner! Please leave your rat alone. You know we didn't just get him for you to hurt him like that."

My mother was standing in the doorway, watching me "toy around" with Eugene, who hissed at me. I almost hissed at her too, until she retreated back down the hall, muttering to herself, "It's just a stupid phase, Hilda. He'll realize what he's done and grow out of it eventually."  
So she never knew. I didn't go out of it. And she was lucky that I wasn't about to drag her off to the basement and do to her what I did to those stupid boys. The screams in the night...the gory looks...that showed them for treating me differently because I was different.

Eugene gave another angry squeak and I quickly released him from the trap. He hissed one final time before dashing off to go hide in his cage. He expressed how I felt about other humans. Selfish, evil, cruel, animal torturers...possibly the worst creatures you could imagine.  
Maybe the Hunger Games were a good idea. Stupid rebels, destroying everything in sight. They needed to be punished. And the way their children died was the prefect punishment. A symbol of the lack of mercy humans had for other creatures.

"Valkner, lunch time!" my father's voice echoed from the kitchen all the way to my room. While he and my mother were often out working in order to put food on the table, a lot of parents were allowed to stay home today to spend a bit of time with their children before one of them was reaped and taken away.  
I sat down and ate silently. My parents just watched me with interest. My father suggested I come with him to go for a walk after the Reapings and I just shrugged.

Humans were fickle beings. They would destroy everything you loved and never ever help you in dark times, but expected you to come with them when they went walking. I'd never understand.  
Once lunch was finished, my parents began to wash up the dishes while I headed onto the Reapings without them. It sucked being around so many humans, but I managed.

* * *

 _Demara "Dem" Filenfire, 15_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

Johnson seemed very nervous as him, Mom and I left for the Reaping. " Dem, what if you get picked? I might never see you again!"  
I gave Johnson a loving look. "I might not get picked too. We haven't taken out any terrasae lately and I don't have that many slips of paper. We'll be fine. I'll be fine."  
Mom didn't seem to have the same enthusiasm as me. "I hope you're right, sweetheart. We'll see you later, okay?"

I nodded and checked in, before finding the 15 year-old pen. I stepped around the other kids, standing next to my best friend Cassadee. "Hey, Cass."  
"Hey Dem." Cassadee gave me a small smile. "Nervous?"  
"Not really. Don't worry, you and I will be fine."  
"But-"  
"Ssh, we're starting!"

The Reaping seemed just as long as last year's Reaping and I was really glad that our mentor, Casablanca, came on the stage when he did. He had long black hair pulled out in a ponytail and there were a few rumors that he was originally a rebel and this was his punishment for the Dark Days.  
Casablanca pulled out a slip of paper and read the name to the crowd. I must've of missed that part because I didn't hear it, but Cassadee was looking at me funny.

"Demara Filenfire? Is there a Demara Filenfire here?"  
My heart began to pound. As I walked up to the stage, I noticed that everyone was staring at me. So I tried my best to smile at them and act like I would be fine, I was still my cheery old self.  
After giving the crowd a quick glance, I caught my mom on the verge of tears. I wanted to cry as well, but I didn't. I had to stay strong.

I had to show Panem that Demara Filenfire was still going to be her happy, optimistic self.

* * *

 _Valkner Stross, 18_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

This Demara girl...she didn't seem as monstrous as most humans were. She had olive skin, jagged black hair and blue eyes. And a smile on her face. The look of a girl that was probably gonna die.  
The guy on the stage drew another name and I heard him call out, "Valkner Stross."

Several of the guys standing in my pen all gave me weird looks. I ignored them and made my way to the stage. My hair was probably covering up my face, but I didn't care. I also didn't care that I was reaped, mainly because now I could happily escape the hellhole that they called District 3.

I didn't dare let them know that, however. No use in appearing more insane then I already was.  
Demara gave me I weird glance; I gave her one back. Once we shook hands, a Peacekeeper dragged me into the Justice Building and plopped me down in one of the rooms. I waited alone until my parents came in.

"Valkner..." my father didn't know what to say. "...we're...we're gonna miss you so much!"  
I doubted that they actually would, but chose not to tell them that. "I'll survive."  
"Oh honey, what are we gonna do with you...or without you in this case? You've been our son for 18 years and always will be." my mother sighed, giving me another hug.

My parents finally left when a Peacekeeper poked his head in, telling them that time was up. As I watched them go, I began to think up a strategy for the Hunger Games. Maybe I could treat the situation like I was back home. Stick to myself, create my inventions. If anyone had anything to say about them...oh well.

You would never be bale to insult me to my face. The last person who managed to do so...  
...he never lived to tell the tale.

* * *

 **That was District 3 for you guys! I really struggled with writing Valkner, but I hope I did him and Dem justice!  
Let me know what you think of this pair and I'll see you all in the next Reaping!**


	13. District 6 Reaping

**And...we're back! This time, we're in District 6! The land of cars, and drugs...and...overpopulation...**  
 **The district sounded much prettier in my head.**

* * *

 _Zander Trans, 17_  
 _District 6 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Poor factory workers don't sleep in on Reaping Day," I muttered to myself, heading off to the factory. I didn't really want to work today, but had no choice. Someone had to help Uncle Allen and Aunt Iva make a bit of money around here and I was the only one in the family who was old enough to work.  
There was a bit of a bright side to coming to the factory, though. Joella worked here as well, to help make some money for her family. She had I had become partners in crime ever since I shot down a group of Peacekeepers that had attempted to arrest her family. Likely, if I hadn't interfered, they would be dead. Gone.  
Just like my family.

"Hey Zane," Joella smirked, putting on the protective gear we were required to wear in the factory. "What's up with you?"  
"You know how much I hate that crappy nickname, right? Anyways, I'm just here because we still gotta work, even though today-"  
"I get it Zane. And don't look so glum. The Capitol promised they wouldn't hijack any more Reapings after last year, remember? You're fine. Sola is out of Reaping age. Stop your stupid worrying."

Easy for someone as confident as Joella to say. But she was right. 6 was the most populated district. There was a very slim chance that you would get picked over anyone else. And the fact that my sister, the only person I was actually close to, couldn't be picked...felt very reassuring.  
The morning was spent putting together steering wheels. For some reason, the factory workers were much more talkative today then any other day, sharing stories about the families and the people they loved. One guy told me a pretty neat story about how his boyfriend proposed to him recently.

"Aw, so cute and romantic!" Joella gushed. "Do you know how awesome it would be to have a guy propose to you like that?"  
"I don't know...I've never had someone propose to me."  
"Yeah, with that attitude. Oh look, shift's almost over."

Finally, the bell that signaled the end of the shift, began to ring. Joella and I whipped off our gear, then raced one another to the door. I got there first and pumped my fist into the air with a smug grin on my face. Joella, who was panting, glared at me.  
"Oh, you're so fast. Well, that`s our shift end right there. See you at the Reapings, Zane."

"Yeah...see you too."  
We both headed our separate ways. Each of us was hoping in our hearts of hearts that the other wouldn't be reaped.

* * *

 _Florina Locke, 15_  
 _District 6 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Florina honey," my stepmother, Veronica called, entering the room carefully. "Time for breakfast...oh."  
I glanced from the book I was reading. "Alright, I'll get changed and then I'll be down in a bit."  
"Good. But please sweetheart, put on your glasses when reading. I know they're a bit big on you, but we can't have your damaging your eyesight. Then you won't be able to read."

I changed into my clothes for the day, then headed downstairs. My father looked up from the newspaper he was reading. "Good morning, Florina."  
"Morning dad." I sat down in the only empty chair at the table, then poured myself a glass of juice. My two sisters, Kylie and Natalie, were giving each other the evil eye.

"Hey Florina," Natalie said loudly. "For our history homework, the notes said that the US didn't use the metric system, right?"  
"Yeah they did, wasn't it universal?" muttered Kylie. "Isn't that right?"  
I felt small under the glances of my sisters. This is why I hated being the straight A student in the family. They always expected me to have the answers that I didn't have. "Hm...I can't answer off the top of my head. I'll have to...have to review my notes."

"You better be reviewing your notes." Dad didn't even look up from his newspaper. "One bad mark on a test can hurt your final grade on your report card really badly."  
Natalie gave an audible sigh, then dug back into her oatmeal. She was jealous of Dad directing his words at me instead of her; she always had been. Because of my grades, Dad always paid me more attention and my sisters constantly overworked themselves in attempts to surpass me.

Once breakfast was over, I headed to Hansel's house to return the homework he had me complete. Of course. He always used me to complete assignments he never wanted to do. I know I should be standing up for myself, but I had always been too kind and passive to say no.  
"Thanks Florina." Hansel beamed when he saw that everything had been taken care of. "Hey, I have a book report due in two weeks. Mind if I ask you-"

"Yeah sure." I muttered, before heading back home. Typical Hansel.  
Once we finished lunch, it was time to get ready for the Reaping. As soon as Veronica saw what I was wearing, a look of confusion appeared on her face.  
"You sure you don't want to change?"

"...no..."  
"Well alright. Now let's get going. We're already late."

* * *

 _Zander Trans, 17_  
 _District 6 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Alright Zander, go get yourself checked in. we'll be on the sidelines with your sister. Got it?"  
"Got it." I wasn't Uncle Allen's number 1 fan and the two of us hadn't been close in the past. But we figured today would a good day to put aside our differences and just...get along.  
Aunt Iva gave me a hug that I attempted to shrug off. I checked in and found the 17 year-old section, where I waited.

Joella hurried a few minutes later and stood beside me. She gave me a comforting smile which I humbly returned. It was nice to know that I wouldn't face these Reapings alone.  
Finally, after what felt like hours of waiting, the mayor appeared and began to read the Treaty of Treason. I felt a pang of sadness. The treaty was about the rebellion. The same rebellion that caused my parents to be executed-

I was glad that our mentor and escort, Jubilee, appeared when she did. She was wearing a pale pink dress and had straight brown hair. After testing the microphone and clearing her throat, she pulled out a slip and read it to the crowd.  
"Florina Locke!"

Florina probably hadn't noticed her name being called at first because when I finally got a good look at her, she had a confused look on her face and tears starting to form in her brown eyes. Her skin was an olive color and was she wearing...pajamas?  
Several kids were laughing and pointing and Florina hid her face behind the book she was holding. Jubilee was probably the only one who didn't seem fazed as she reached for another slip. I clutched Joella's hand tightly as the anticipation in the air grew thicker...

"Zander Trans!"  
Joella's face melted into horror as I let go of her hand and made my way to the stage. As I walked, a smile slowly but surely began to appear on my face. To me, this was just another Capitol tactic in the rebellion. And I had outlasted several other plans.  
I could survive this, right?

* * *

 _Florina Locke, 15_  
 _District 6 Female Tribute_

* * *

I was already feeling pretty nervous since I was clearly the laughingstock of the Reapings. Upon seeing Zander, I felt even worse.  
His dark brown hair was and curly and messy, his eyes a piercing green. He had to be almost 6 feet and was extremely muscled. Clearly a much better choice for victor. Maybe he was one of those rebel soldiers? Was that why he looked so intimidating?

Sitting in a room in the Justice Building alone, I wasn't sure what to do until Hansel came in.  
"Hey Hansel..." I muttered without looking up.  
"Your dad said I could see you before they came in. So...I guess that book report will have to wait, huh?"  
"I...guess." How could Hansel say such a thing!? Did he not realize that my own death could be arriving in just a few days!?

When Hansel left, I was glad to see my family come in. My dad got to me first and wrapped his arms around me as tight as he possibly could. He began to mummer how scared he was for me.  
"You...you do your best, Florina. That's all we have ever expected from you."

I said nothing as he let go of me. A weary Veronica gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I know that I never have and never will replace your biological mother, but...these past years with you and your sisters have been amazing and you all feel like my own children. Just do your best sweetheart, I know you will."  
As veronica carefully led my father out of the room, I turned to my sisters. Both of them had been very quiet.

"...we'll miss you." Natalie said at last. "We...we really will."  
"I figured...I'll miss you guys too. Take care of my books for me, okay?"  
Kylie sighed. "Really? You might be going off to a horribly gruesome death in a few days and that's all you have to say!?"  
"Can it Ky! Just...we're really gonna miss you, sis."

As Natalie dragged a flustered Kylie out the door with her, I picked up the book I had brought to the Reapings with me and began reading from where I left off. The knights could battle the dargon at any given moment and I didn't want to miss it.

* * *

 **That was District 6 for you. Honestly, I have no clue why, but I really struggled with this chapter. And I'm sorry to the submitters of Zander and Florina if I screwed up in the process.  
We have only one third of Reapings left! Guess which district is next!**


	14. District 10 Reaping

**And, I'm back! Not dead yet, guys.**  
 **So, here we have good ol District 10. For some reason, this is one of my favorite districts, perhaps my all-time favorite. I have no clue why it is, but I've submitted so many tributes under that district. One look at my profile proves it all. Maybe because you can get creative with 10 due to a lack of canon info?  
**

 **Alright, I've spent way too much time ranting. Onto the Reapings.**

* * *

 _Equila West, 14_  
 _District 10 Female Tribute_

* * *

The baker rung up the small loaf of bread that I was able to buy from him before handing it over to me. "Anything else?"  
"No thanks," I muttered shyly. Mom had only given me a small amount of money and I couldn't just waste it on the bread. I tucked the loaf under my arm and quickly wove through the busy marketplace, full of loud noises and bustling customers.  
The butcher had just finished serving another woman when I arrived. She smiled upon seeing me. "Hey dear. What can I get you today?"

"Do you have any steak?"  
"Yep, freshly made. But it's gonna cost you a pretty penny." She pointed at the meat cuts sitting in front of me.

I reached into my pocket and held up a ring. "Would this be enough to cover it?"  
"Oh my goodness, where did you get that? Oh never mind, it's none of my business. But here you go, honey."  
I grabbed the steak off the counter and started heading back home. The food would make for a hearty dinner tonight.

Mom smiled at me when she saw me attempting to lug the food in. "Oh...Equila! I knew I could count on you!"  
"Thanks Mom," I couldn't help but return the smile to the woman who was the main reason I survived the rebellion. Who kept Marshall and I safe while the Peacekeepers terrorized the district. Who held me tightly on those terrible nights when all I could see was the Peacekeeper training his gun at my sister's head-

"Where's Marshall?' I asked.  
"I think he's playing outside. Go get him and tell him that lunch is ready."

Marshall, my little brother, was outside just like Mom had said. He was playing with an old ball and was kicking it against the side of the house. I reached out and caught the ball just before it came flying towards my face.  
"Hey little brother. Lunch is ready."

Not happy about having to stop his game, Marshall groaned and headed inside. I turned to follow him but out of the corner of my eye, I thought I caught a Peacekeeper staring at me.  
"Y-yeah right," I muttered to myself. "You're seeing things, Equila. Just go inside. Nobody is going to harm you."  
I wasn't sure if that statement was true. The Hunger Games were today. Anybody could be harmed.

I thought about it while helping my Mom cut the steak. There was no way that I would actually get Reaped, right?

* * *

 _Desmond Juetar, 13_  
 _District 10 Male Tribute_

* * *

Plucking at the strings of my guitar, I grabbed my pencil from out of its spot behind my ear and scrawled something down. The note sounded a bit sour to me, but with a bit of tuning I could probably get it to be a bit stronger. Plus, I could change it later if needed.  
Composing music came naturally to me. Maybe it was because I had been learning how to play the guitar ever since I was four. Dad was the one who taught me, because he was in a band himself. Mom and Boris loved to complain about our jam sessions.

Speaking of my father, he poked his head into my room just as I tried another note. "You composing today, Desmond?"  
"Yep. I've been working on this song for over a week now and I'm hoping that I can finish it soon."  
"Good for you. Us Juetar boys never give up. Your mother just wanted me to let you know that lunch will be ready in half an hour, okay?"  
"Yeah, sure." I muttered, turning back to my guitar and tuning it a little more. I had just managed to fill up the last spaces on the page when my older brother, Boris, appeared in the doorway. "What you working on, Des?"

"Some music. Wanna hear?"  
Before he could actually reply, I began strumming away, following the music and notes I had just created. Boris playfully covered his ears with his hands and groaned. "Stop! It hurts to listen to so badly!"  
"Hey! At least I have the guts to play something for you!" I stuck out my tongue at him.

"Pff, you know I was just playing around. Mom wants me to call you down for lunch, so I suggest you wash up. And use soap!"  
I just rolled my eyes and followed Boris down the stairs. The guitar would just have to wait.

* * *

 _Equila West, 14_  
 _District 10 Female_

* * *

Marshall wasn't happy about having to chance into something nicer for the Reapings, but I was perfectly fine with wearing my pink dress. It was an old, hand-me-down one that Mom had found in the closet last year, but it fit me and probably still would for at least next year's Reaping.  
Mom and I agreed for me to wait for her to get me after the Reapings. I quickly checked into the 14 year-old section and found myself standing next to my good friend Jesse.

"Sup, Equila. I know I'm not, but are you nervous?"  
"Maybe a little bit..." I hadn't been nervous before but now that I thought about the consequences of being Reaped...  
"Eh, you'll be fine. You only took terrasae out...what, four times? There's some kids who have more slips than you. You'll be fine."

Being with Jesse made me relax a little bit. When the mayor began to read out the Treaty of Treason, Jesse stuck his finger under his nose, mimicking the mayor's bushy mustache and loud, booming voice. The two of us laughed silently until the District 10 mentor, Vermont, told everyone to quiet down. He stuck his hand into one of the glass balls and drew out a name from somewhere in the middle.

I began to hold my breath. _It's not me...Oh, I hope it isn't me...I hope I'm safe..._  
"Equila West!"

A couple of kids turned to look at me. I realized that I wasn't moving, then pushed through the crowd to get to the stage. "Don't cry," I whispered to myself. "Don't cry."  
Standing near the intimidating Peacekeepers didn't help. They knew about my family's participation in the rebellion.  
This was their way of getting back.

* * *

 _Desmond Juetar, 13_  
 _District 10 Male_

* * *

I kinda had to admit, Equila looked pretty. She had short but wavy chestnut hair, grayish-bluish eyes and her arms and legs had a muscular look to them. She also looked a bit taller than me.  
I was distracted from staring at Equila that I didn't hear my name being called until I heard Vermont repeat, "Desmond Juetar. Please come to the stage."

Wait...  
I hadn't expected my name to be called. Shock, then fear began to seep into me as I made my way to join Equila. Like her, I hadn't started crying either. Maybe because I was too scared to do so?  
The Peacekeepers wasted no time yanking us off the stage and into separate rooms in the Justice Building. I sat on the couch, admiring the curtain patterns, until my family came rushing in.

My mother reached me first and pulled me into a tight hug. Soon, Boris and my father joined in, making one big family sandwich with me squashed in the middle.  
"Desmond...what will we do without you?" My father asked, breaking the silence.  
"Maybe I can actually try to win?"

"I hope you can," My mother sobbed. "It's gonna be so quiet without your guitar playing in the house...I don't even know if I'll be able to take it!"  
"Thank Mom...I can't breathe..please let go."  
My parents released me as Boris bent down so he and were at level with each other. "You can do it, little brother. Remember, we never give up. You never gave up on your music so we'll never give up on you. You'll make us proud."

I tackled Boris in one last hug before the three of them left. Next to come in were my band buddies.  
"Desmond, I can't believe you actually got Reaped!" Erwin groaned.  
"What will we do?" Carly sighed.  
"Does this mean we'll need a new lead guitarist?" Gordon asked.

Freddie put his hands up to calm everyone down. "No Gordon, Desmond's irreplaceable! But we just thought it would be nice to say goodbye. Just think of all the music we made and who knows...maybe you'll win."  
I gave each of my friends giant hugs before they too left and I found myself sitting alone. With nothign else to do, my hands began mimicking playing the guitar.

It would be a long time before I could see it again.

* * *

 **That was District 10 for you! Let me know what you think of these tributes! Yeah, they're both on the younger side, but I like younger tributes (especially when they're younger male tributes or aren't all sweet and innocent fluff) and I thanks their submitters!**

 **We have officially completed 75% of the Reapings. Just three more districts to go!**


	15. District 5 Reaping

**Guess who's back? Back again?**  
 **...nobody likes that song anymore? Well...**

 **Onto District 5!**

* * *

 _Bolte Seymour, 13_  
 _District 5 Male Tribute_

* * *

The day had been just like any other normal day in 5. Well, as normal as normal had been for about a week now. While I was lucky not to be one of those kids who were permanently bound to a wheelchair all their lives, the doctor had said it that would be at least a month before my ankle would heal and I could walk normally.  
I could operate the thing on my own, but I still hadn't got used to using it and sometimes my arms got tired, meaning my parents had to push me instead.

After a quick breakfast of oatmeal and strawberries with our parents, Serena offered to push me around the district when we went for a walk. At first I said I was fine, but my arms soon couldn't move the chair any longer and my sister soon got behind me and started pushing.  
"You know, you're handling this whole thing pretty well," Serena remarked. "When you fell that day, I was afraid you died!"

"No, that's silly! We were just playing and it was just my leg. I couldn't of died from that!"  
"Come on, I'm not allowed to worry about my little brother?" Serena teased, giving me a kiss on the forehead. "Well...you survived."  
I squirmed as she patted down my curly auburn hair. "Yeah, I know. You tell me that all the time."

The two of us went silent for a while, traveling past the houses and shops. Finally, I broke the silence.  
"Hey Serena...can we play tag? Please?"

"Bolte...that might not be-" Serena started to say, but I quickly maneuvered the wheelchair away from her before she could say anything. I began laughing as I rolled down the street, swerving around other citizens going for a morning stroll. When Serena finally caught up, she grabbed my wheelchair and turned it in the direction of our house.  
"You little troublemaker! If Mom and Dad find out you did that, they're gonna kill me!"

"Totally worth it!" I smiled triumphantly at her and pumped my fist into the air, while my sister just rolled her eyes, her hands firmly clasped on the chair handles and pushed me back home..

* * *

 _Thessaly Tudor, 18_  
 _District 5 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Wha-hey! Come on, Thess...I'm good! You don't need to push me!" My older brother, Soren, laughed as he rolled his wheelchair towards the table.  
"Well, you're gonna need help! If it wasn't for those damned Capitolites, you wouldn't have been blown apart in two and not need this stupid wheelchair!" I muttered.  
My mother looked up from helping my father read his newspaper. "Your brother can take care of himself, Thessaly. And please, stop swearing in the house."

I rolled my eyes. Because she was the only one in the family who wasn't part of District 5's rebel crew, my mother didn't understand what I felt. To have Soren shove me under a wall when the grenade came flying at us. To see him be torn apart, just barely alive. To watch my father throw himself over his son and carry him to safety. To hear another blast and my father's hands to receive the worst of it. And when it was all over, my father carried both of us home, handless. Soren was loudly moaning all the way and the hatred for the Capitol only burned even more.

I didn't mind having to help my brother and father navigate through this new, post-rebellion life. I was perfectly fain with pushing Soren's wheelchair, holding things up for my father to see, helping my mother make dinner. After two years of doing it, I had grown accustomed to this lifestyle.  
"Dad, do you need another cup of coffee? Soren, I can push you closer to the table if you want-"  
"For the last time Thessaly, I'm fine!"

After forty-five minutes, two dozen pancakes, several dirty dishes, ten complaints to let my brother be and five attempts from my mother to get me to stop cursing the Capitol, the kitchen was all cleaned up and I was free to go to my friend's house. Nona practically threw open the door and smiled brightly at me. "Thessaly!"  
"Come on, I promised we were going to the Reapings together!"  
"Of course. I didn't forget; let's go."

With Nona trailing after me, I made my way to the Justice Building, more than ready for the Reapings. After all, it was stupid to think I would get chosen, right?

* * *

 _Bolte Seymour, 13_  
 _District 5 Male Tribute_

* * *

Signing in was hard. The Peacekeeper had to stretch his entire body over the desk to reach me so he could do the whole finger pricking thing. Once he was done, another Peacekeeper rolled me to the 13 year-old section. A couple of kids gave me dirty looks due to how much space my wheelchair was taking up, but I just ignored them.

The whole thing seemed to drag on like it did last year, when I was an itty-bitty 12 year-old craning my neck to see from the back. When the mentor Spartacus (or Sportacus as the others liked to call him, due to his blue hair) finally arrived, I was glad that the most boring part was done and that soon the Reapings would be over.

As Spartacus dug his hand into one of the Reaping ball, a hush went over the crowd. Finally, he had grabbed a name and read out loud to everyone.  
"Nona Darveston!"

A couple of teens at the front made room for Nona as she nervously made her way to the stage. Before she could actually reach it, a voice called out, "I VOLUNTEER!"  
Nona turned around and started sobbing as a girl with dark brown that had auburn highlights, brown eyes and fair skin ran for the stage. She yanked the microphone out of the mentor's hands and faced the shocked crowd.

"I'm Thessaly Tudor and I have a message for the Capitol. You've constantly tried to take everything from me! You took my father's hands, my brother's legs, and now you wanna take my friend's life? No, I've had enough of this! I refuse for you to continue torturing my friends of family, you stupid #$%!"  
"Okay, okay, that's enough, sweetheart." Spartacus muttered, grabbing his microphone back. "Let's choose our male tribute and get this over with."

In went the hand, into the glass ball, then grabbing a slip and pulling it out. I began to hold my breath, knowing the odds were very low, but there was still a chance...

"Bolte Seymour!"  
I tried to back out of the crowd, but the Peacekeeper caught me and wheeled me to the stage. I could feel my face burning up as tears strolled down my cheeks.

 _No..._

* * *

 _Thessaly Tudor, 18_  
 _District 5 Female Tribute_

* * *

I felt bad for Bolte. But I was still mad ta the Capitol. Even after the rebellion was over and the districts dictated, they still decided to hurt my friend!?  
My family saw me first. And they were not happy.

"Thessaly!" my mother sobbed. "How could you...how could you do this!? they're not gonna let you win...you've just practically committed suicide!"  
"No...no I didn't. I promise, I'll be fine." I tried to sound confident, but my voice cracked halfway through. Luckily, nobody noticed.  
My father did his best to hug me. "I'm really scared for you, honey. Bu you're strong and you're smart. You can do this."

I nodded and hugged him back. Soren whispered something in my father's ear and he nodded. As my parents exited the room, I turned to my brother. "Will you be fine?"  
"Physically? Yes. I can handle myself. But mentally? No. I don't want to lose anything...anyone else to the Capitol."  
I gave my brother one last hug as he wheeled himself out. Once he was gone, Nona burst in.

"Why did you do that!?" she sobbed, throwing her arms around me and tightening her grasp. "I can't believe...you'd fight a death match...for me!"  
"You're my friend. Friends don't let friends be chosen for the Hunger Games."

"I just hope you'll be safe...see you on the other end, Thessaly."  
When Nona walked out, I began to wonder if I had made a good choice or a stupid one. It was a little too late to regret everything, but perhaps my volunteering would not be in vain. You could still bring the Capitol down from inside the arena, right?

* * *

 **Well, that was one interesting chapter. Let me know what you think of Thessaly and Bolte!**

 **Two more districts to go! I am so excited!**


	16. District 11 Reaping

**(happily skipping and singing through a field of flowers)** ** _All of my tributes keep dying, all of my tributes keep dying-_**  
 **Yeah, not my best day in Hunger Games SYOTs. Lost both of my surviving District 4 tributes in less than 24 hours. Still very salty about it.**

 **Onto the District 11 Reapings!**

* * *

 _Willow Harper, 15_  
 _District 11 Female Tribute_

* * *

To say that I was not the biggest fan of these new Hunger Games was an understatement.  
I was afraid of them. Terrified. My father had participated in the rebellion. It brought all sorts of havoc, including driving a wedge between my parents. While things were a bit better now, you could still feel the ice between them whenever you walked into the room.

Breakfast was much quieter than usual. My sisters, Lina and Myrtle, sat in the seats next to me, complaining about how scary it would be for their big sister to go into those Games and have to survive them...while they knew about the event, I didn't think they were old enough to understand the whole "fight to the death" aspect of it.  
I plopped my plate into the sink. "Can I go over to Brooke's house?"

Dad glanced at the clock. "Sure. Come back for lunch."  
I wasted no time racing over and knocking on the door. Brooke was surprised, but happy to see me. "Willow! Come on in!"  
My other friend, Laurel, was already waiting for me when Brooke led me to her room. We started chatting away. About our families, about boys, about this, about that...until Laurel broke the silence. "Hey, you guys aren't afraid of getting Reaped, are you?"

I shook my head. The whole Games thing was scary and there was a chance I could go in, but I felt like the odds of me being Reaped were fairly low. Brooke said the same thing that I was thinking and we continued to smile, talk and laugh away, putting the Games behind us.

If today would be my last day in 11, I might as well make as many happy and joyful memories as I could. That way, I could take them with me if I were to face my own certain death.

* * *

 _Urijah Woodley, 18_  
 _District 11 Male Tribute_

* * *

Reed scrambled down the alleyway, but I easily caught up to him and grabbed him by the collar of his jacket. He winced as I lifted him up to my face.  
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Either way, you're gonna spill. Where is my money?"

Reed squirmed, only causing me to tighten my grip. "I don't have it! I'll get it tomorrow, I swear!"  
"I don't buy that crap! Where. Is. My. Money!?"  
As Reed tried to explain how he had no money because his family was poor and all that stuff, I let him fall to the ground, then placed my foot on his chest. "I'll ask you one more time. Answer me."

Reed whimpered softly and reached into his pocket. I shoved my hand out as he let several coins fall from his clenched fist.  
"This...this is only half! I want the rest of it."  
"I...I don't have the rest of it right now! I'll give it to you tomorrow!"

I had enough. Reed was clearly not gonna pay. I raised my foot up and brought the bottom of my shoe down hard on Reed's chest. He screamed out in pain as I began to walk back to the main street, ignoring Reed's wails still coming from the alley.  
I didn't have time for disobedient people like Reed who never paid when they were supposed to. I was the leader of a gang, for crying out loud! You either obeyed me and lived to see another day, or you paid the price for your incompetence. But I was glad that I managed to squeeze a little bit of money out of him.

Taking a detour home, I stopped at the market, namely a booth selling items like cloth and ribbon. I plunked my coins down and asked the vendor for a piece of ribbon. After receiving a yellow one, I headed home, where my little sister would be waiting.  
"Urijah!" Sasha exclaimed, jumping off the couch when she saw me. I gave her a hug, then helped fix up the ribbon in her hair.

It wasn't easy playing big brother and father all at once, but I managed. Sasha was the light of my life and the only person I showed care towards. I'd do anything for her.

* * *

 _Willow Harper, 15_  
 _District 11 Female Tribute_

* * *

I arrived back home for lunch, which was some leftover beef, soup and garlic bread. Changing into something a little nicer for the Reapings, we all left at once. Just before we arrived to the Justice Building, Dad took Lina and Myrtle aside, telling me that we'd meet up when the Reapings were over. I nodded, then went to check in.  
Laurel had just finished checking in. As soon as she saw me, she grabbed my hand and pulled me along with her to the 15 year-old section. "Ready?"

"Maybe..."  
"Ah, don't worry Willow! You'll be alright. Come on, I think I see Brooke over there. Brooke, Brooke! We're here!"  
I smiled at my friend's enthusiasm and glanced at the stage. The mayor had just arrived and was giving off the typical speech. It wasn't until our mentor, Charlemagne, arrived that I began to feel my stomach turning knots.

This was it. The big moment. I could feel myself shaking crazily, like a leaf in wind. Laurel grabbed my hand and I clutched hers tightly.  
Charlemagne's hand swirled around in the sea of slips, adding to the tension. He lifted a name out and read it to the crowd.  
"Willow Harper!"

Laurel gasped as I let go of her and moved towards the stage. But the shock was just too much and I crashed to the ground. The world around me was growing very faint...  
"Somebody give her some air! She's fainted!" Laurel yelled.  
"Willow, no!" Brooke screamed.

A couple pairs of arms began hoisting me up and in the direction of the blurry stage. And in front of a surprised and slightly sympathetic crowd was where I finally blacked out.

* * *

 _Urijah Woodley, 18_  
 _District 11 Male Tribute_

* * *

I had to admit, I wasn't paying attention until I heard the name "Urijah Woodley!" get called out.  
A couple of boys turned their heads to look at me. As the name registered, I shoved my way through the crowd and to the stage. Everyone seemed rather intimidated, but I just laughed.

It was just a stupid game that I had a good chance at winning. Unlike that brown-haired, hazel-eyed girl, lying unconscious next to me. She had yet to wake up and the Peacekeepers took her inside once the anthem had finished playing.  
I was led inside as well. In the dark, cramped room, I began to wonder if my sister was going to arrive. When she finally did, we wrapped each other in the biggest hugs we could imagine.

"Are...are you gonna die, Urijah?" Sasha asked quietly. "I want you to come back!"  
"I'll do my best. You know what happens when I...go over the edge...I'll be fine, alright? You take good care of yourself and make sure that you're eating well. I'll be back before you know it."

Sasha nodded and wiped away a couple of tears. She was a pretty independent girl, I knew she would have no problem on her own.  
I wouldn't have problems either. Okay, maybe I had accidentally killed someone once or twice. It wouldn't be any different in the arena, would it?

"Time's up-" a Peacekeeper started to say, but stopped mid-sentence. "Where's your family, kid?"  
"My parents overdosed on drugs. I was the father of my family way before they died."  
"Whatever. Ready to go?"

I stood up.  
"Yeah, okay."

* * *

 **That was District 11. I had a bit of a hard time with these guys but I think they were done rather well.**

 **So, last district is 8, surprise, surprise. I think that whenever I write an SYOT, the district of the previous victor will always be done last. Even if that district gets all of its tributes firt, it still will go last.**

 **Let me know what you think of the tributes and the story so far. Am I doing well? Feedback is beyond appreciated!**


	17. District 8 Reaping

**Last Reaping chapter, and then we're done! I'm actually kinda excited to wrap up the introductions and move onto other stuff. I hope you all feel the same too!**  
 **Here we go, good old District 8. This was actually the last district to receive its first tribute, even though it won the first Hunger Games. Why that happened is beyond me.  
**

* * *

 _Eywill Dye, 18_  
 _District 8 Male Tribute_

* * *

My little brother Hewil, was the only person in the kitchen when I got downstairs. He was making himself a bagel that looked really good, even better than the ones I made myself in the mornings.  
"What are you doing, brother?" I asked him in a menacing tone, hoping he'd get the hint.

Hewil glanced up at me. "Do I have to?"  
"Um...yes! Stop acting like you're so naive and innocent...you know that this is how it works around here!"  
Hewil shook his head. "But it's mine! I don't wanna-"

I grabbed his bagel and shoved it into my mouth. Hewil watched me in fright as I chewed away. Once I finished, I held a finger up to my lips. "Remember, not a word to Mom or Dad, got it?"  
Hewil nodded fearfully as I headed outside. A little girl was sitting on the grass nearby, eating a breakfast sandwich. I had seen her a couple times before and she always had food.

When the girl finally looked up, I grabbed the sandwich from her and took a huge bite. She wailed pathetically as I trudged back into the house. I would've laughed at her, but my mouth was full.  
Hewil had just started making himself another bagel when I came back in. I would've grabbed that one was well, but the sandwich was starting to fill me up.

"Is someone crying outside?" eh asked.  
"Just some stupid kid."  
"You ate her sandwich!?"  
"Survival of the fittest." I rolled my eyes at my brother. He was so over dramatic for a 7 year-old. Here in 8, I was the fittest which meant my survival was more important than everyone else. If I needed food, those below could provide it for me. That was the way society worked around here.

And I intended to take full advantage.

* * *

 _Harper Winthrop, 15_  
 _District 8 Female Tribute_

* * *

The little boy, probably my brother's age, peeked his head out of the torn and dirty rags of his shirt. "Is...is that for me?"  
"Yep," I placed the bundle of clothes in front of him. "You can share with your friends, if you want. If it's not enough, I'll get you some more."  
"Wow, thanks! You are so cool!"

I couldn't help smiling as the boy grabbed the bundle and ran out of the alleyway. Even though my parents weren't big on me associating with the "district scums", I still liked to help out whenever I could. It was so sad and unjust to see kids without anything to eat or wear, being ignored and sometimes mistreated by upper-class people.

Sneaking back wasn't very easy, but I did my best. I had just gotten home when I heard my dad call out, "Harper!"  
Panicking, I tried to duck away, but I had already been spotted. My parents soon found me crouching behind a large crate and ushered me inside. They didn't look too happy about me sneaking off to the poorer parts of the district.

"Why do you keep going out like that!?" Mom scowled. "You give us a bad name, do you not get that!?"  
"It's just...they needed...I was trying to help them out!"  
"Lay off her, Edith," my dad muttered. "Harper, we can't have you keep giving our clothes away. Soon, we'll have nothing to sell and might end up as poor as those orphan you keep seeing. Do you understand?"

I nodded. I didn't like making my parents mad, but trying to end causes like poverty were still important to me. Once they went back inside, I turned in ran in the direction of the Justice Building, where the Reapings were held.

* * *

 _Eywill Dye, 18_  
 _District 8 Male Tribute_

* * *

Hewil didn't snitch to my parents, but I kept an eye on him as we headed to the Reapings. Finally, I was sent to the 18 year-old section where I had to wait. But for some weird reason, the other guys were giving me strange looks. I had no clue why.  
The Reapings finally started with the whole speech and stuff. Finally, some kid came onto the stage in a black suit. He was introduced as Sliver Wirth, victor of the 1st Hunger Games. I didn't see what was so special about him; he just looked like an attention stealer.

An older guy with light brown hair named Christof appeared, announcing that he was gonna pick the tributes. He reached into a glass ball and yelled out, "Harper Winthrop!"  
Harper was a 15 year-old girl with dark brown hair and blue eyes. I wanted to laugh at her, bu then I heard the name "Eywill Dye."

Hey...that's me!  
I gladly made my way up there, betting that everyone was gonna scream my name out and cheer for me, the next victor of the Games. It was clear that I would be. Harper seemed disgusted (maybe she knew she was gonna lose to me), Sliver dropped his head in his hands (probably realizing he wasn't the only one who could win), and Christof smirked.

I yanked the microphone away from Chirstof. "Hello District 8! It is I, your next victor! I'll do a much better job than Sliver over here, just you watch!"  
"Give me that," Christof grabbed the microphone back and signaled for the Peacekeepers to take us off the stage.

"...I am so screwed," I heard Sliver mutter as I was marched inside the Justice Building.

* * *

 _Harper Winthrop, 15_  
 _District 8 Female Tribute_

* * *

I was disgusted.  
Eywill had been going around and tooting his own horn, as if he actually stood a chance in a literal deathmatch. Had he no shame?  
Maybe I was lucky that we actually had a victor with past knowledge of the Games, but it seemed like Sliver was gonna have trouble teaching us. Perhaps I should come up with my own Game plan?

I was thinking things through when my family burst into the room and hugged me. "Harper..." my mother sighed. "I am so sorry for yelling at you today. I was mad and it doesn't matter because you might not come back..."  
"I'll try my best." I muttered.  
"Good for you. My little girl is going to stay strong and win these Games," I heard my father say.

"Thanks Dad." I reached down and gave my little brother Benston a big hug. "You be good for Mommy and Daddy. You help them out, okay?"  
Benston nodded and gave me another hug. I patted back his hair as my parent led him out the door.

 _Stay strong...come back..._  
It was clear that my family wanted me to survive. I wanted to as well. I sat back on the couch, the wheels in my brain spinning. I had come up with an idea for the Games and if I actually got the chance to put it into action, perhaps it would work.

* * *

 **And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes the Reapings! Let me know what you think of Eywill and Harper!**

 **If you want, you can try making a chart of who you think will place where in the Games! Not all placements have been decided yet, but it will be interesting to see which tribute people want or predict will be the possible victor.**

 **Thanks for the support I've received so far! Soon, we'll be seeing the train rides, so stay tuned for that!**


	18. Reaping Recap with Sliver

**Now that we're done the Reapings, it's time to move onto the action! And all the good stuff!  
**

 **Yeah...not yet. I figured I'd do a Reaping recap so the tributes are nice and fresh in everybody's minds before I send them all off to their deaths. I'm like that.**

* * *

 _Sliver Wirth, 18_  
 _Victor of the 1st Annual Hunger Games_

* * *

While the tributes were saying their goodbyes to their family and friends, Christoff led me to the train. He ordered some random drink from an Avox while I just sat down in front of the television as the recaps began to play.  
First up was District 1. The announcers began to recall 1's tributes last time, comparing them both to Foxy, who was rather quiet, and Carina, who had a grouchy look to her.

"Looks like District 1 has some potential victors. The competition is gonna be stiff." Christoff muttered.  
"Yeah, seems like it." My stomach churned at the idea of Foxy or Carina slicing up my own tributes.

Everyone was surprised when two tributes volunteered from District 2. The host began to talk about a previous tribute from 2, who sources said as good friends with Lena Evangelos before her death. Adonis didn't get any additional comments, though.  
Chrsitoff sighed. "They were really that willing to volunteer to play Russian Roulette with 22 other kids? Idiots."  
"Who knows. Maybe they can deliver." I shrugged.

District 3 had Reaped Demara and Valkner, both smiling. But Demara had a sad look in her eyes while Valkner...I couldn't really tell with Valkner. It seemed to be something strung on the thin line between sadistic and insane. Creepy. Very creepy.  
"That kid is giving me the chills," I said. The shivers began to tumble down my spine.  
"Same here," Christoff only took one look at the screen, then just glanced away. "Thank goodness that girl doesn't look anything like him. Let's see what 4 has to offer."

A pair of twins were Reaped from District 4. Dany and Anya Kai. Who clearly resembled each other with their blonde hair and grey eyes. They looked like the mayor of District 4, who had tears starting to form in her eyes as the tributes firmly shook hands...wait a second...  
"hey Reaped the mayor's children!?" I gasped. "And both of them too? How unlucky can you get?"

"Don't push it," Christoff rolled his eyes. "If they can throw rebels' children into the Games, then they can throw a mayor's kids in there too. The Games in a nutshell."  
"You mean they rigged the Reaping just like last year?"  
"Meh. Who knows...who cares..."

I rolled my eyes at the sarcastic man I called my mentor. The District 5 Reaping had just started, with Thessaly lunging forward to volunteer, giving out a message to the Capitol...and saying some rather unpleasant things. Luckily, they were censored and Bolte didn't add on to them when he was rolled up in his wheelchair, earning some sympathy from the crowd. Poor guy...  
"Kid's a rolling living corpse..." Christoff sipped his drink.  
"Oh, shut your mouth." I groaned.

"What? I'm being serious. You think a tribute in a wheelchair is gonna get past Day 1?"  
I grabbed a book off the couch and tossed it at Christoff, who ducked as it flew over his head. In the arguing, I had almost missed the start of the District 6 Reaping. I turned back to the TV just in time see a blushing Florina hide her face behind a book as everyone laughed at her pajamas. Zander was much taller than her and was missing a few fingers on one of his hands...but that only seemed to add to his threatening looks.

"Watch out for them," Christoff advised.  
"You really think a girl who wore pajamas to the Reaping is gonna turn out to be an undercover killer?" I asked him.  
"A skinny 17 year-old with really pale skin won the Games with three kills. If it happened to him, it could happen to anybody."

Christoff was really lucky that I was out of books to toss at him and that I would've rather watched the District 7 Reaping instead of wasting precious time arguing. While Fennel and Everly were not the youngest kids that we had seen so far, they were pretty close to that end of the spectrum. Everly gave off a bit of a sweet vibe while Fennel was a little more out of it.  
"Got anymore stupid comments to add?" I glared at Christoff who just casually took another sip of his drink.

"I thought that was your job."  
"For crying out loud...!"  
Christoff just laughed. "Here it comes, good old 8. Wanna see those kids again?"

"No..."  
Too late. The clip was already playing. There weren't many comments on Harper, likely because Eywill took all the attention form her. While District 8 was completely disgusted by his behavior, everyone else seemed to get a good kick out of it. Especially when he ripped the microphone out of Christoff's hands.  
"What a lovely way to be represented...by him." I sighed.

"Well, they're both your problem now." Christoff's glass was almost empty. "Wonder what kind of tributes District 9 has."  
A 12 year-old. That was how old the girl, Pellia, was. She was sniffing, sobbing, whimpering. To be honest, I didn't blame her at all. Even Terran, her district partner, seemed kinda sad that she out of all tributes had been chosen.

"You know, according to a bunch of inside sources, Terran is dating Pellia's sister." Christoff muttered.  
"What? How do you know this?"  
"Slow to catch on..." Instead of answering me, Christoff just shook his head.

Two younger tributes from District 10. And I meant young; Equila was the older one of the duo and she was only 14! Desmond was a year younger. But I had a feeling that they wouldn't really die off first thing...there was something about the vibes they were giving off...that made it seem like they actually stood a chance.  
"Don't say anything." I growled.

Christoff held his hands up in mock confusion. "Wasn't gonna say much anyways."  
"...I like it better when you don't say anything."

As Christoff rolled his eyes, District 11 appeared on the screen. The differences between Willow and Urijah were extremely obvious as one loomed right over the other...thought probably because Willow had passed out when her name was called and someone literally had to carry her to the stage.  
When Christoff didn't say anything, I was perfectly fine with proceeding to the District 12 Reaping.

Tihi and Caxton also had a couple of obvious differences; Caxton seemed a little worn-out and Tihi was rather indifferent when it came to her name being called.  
"Is she a tribute or a robot?" Christoff asked.  
"Would they allow robots into the Hunger Games?"

That got a shrug from Christoff. "How would I know, I'm not the Gamemaker." He glanced out the window to see some Peacekeepers approaching the train. "Looks like we're gonna be leaving soon. You ready for this?"

I shook my head. "No."  
"You'll be fine. It only goes downhill form here."

* * *

 **So, a nice little recap complete with snarky comments because it's Christoff and he is a snarky guy.  
I also have placed a poll up on my profile. If you could in it, that would be greatly appreciated, so...thanks!**

 **The Train Rides will be next. I'm only gonna have them take up two chapters so once they're done, I can dedicate more time to things like Training and any alliances that might be formed in there. Most of this is planned out...minus the death order of the tributes, of course.**


	19. Train Rides Pt1

**So, here are the Train Rides! Or part of them anyway.**  
 **I chose the districts in a random order because I like making things random; it's more interesting than going standard, or at least in my opinion it is.**

* * *

 _Lena Evangelos, 18_  
 _District 2 Female Tribute_

* * *

"So...either of you mind explaining why you two volunteered?" Jasmine asked. The train had just pulled away from the station and now here we were, speeding towards the Capitol.  
"I'm doing this for my friend." I muttered, not really making any eye contact with Jasmine or Adonis. I didn't really expect them to actually understand.

Speaking of Adonis, he turned to Jasmine and said, "My siblings had me do it...it's stupid, I know."  
"Wasn't it gonna judge anyway," Jasmine sighed. "Would you like anything? Some water? Some tea? I find tea always relaxes me when I feel nervous."

I had to admit, a cup of tea didn't sound that bad right now. "I'd like some. also...if there's a tape of the 1st Hunger Games...could I have that too?"  
"Of course, my dear." Jasmine gave me a warm smile and left to go get what I had asked for. I turned to Adonis, who was a bit more interested in the books on a shelf across from us then actually facing me.  
"Don't you think it's dumb to volunteer just because your siblings wanted you to do it?" I asked him.

"Well, why did you volunteer for your friend?"  
"Erin was the closest friend I ever had! We were partners in crime. As close as sisters. And she went into these Games because of some wish I had. And now...I'm gonna go and complete that dream for her. And if I die...well at least I'll see her once more."

"Best of luck," Adonis muttered quietly. When Jasmine came back with our tea, neither of us said anything as we drank the calming liquid. I popped in the tape and began to play it, watching Erin get stabbed in the back once more.

* * *

 _Caxton Beel II, 17_  
 _District 12 Male Tribute_

* * *

"So...Caxton," Marissa smiled at me. "What do you like to do for fun?"  
"Why does it matter?"  
"Well if I know a little more about you, maybe I can find an arena strategy that will suit you...and let you have a good time in the Games!"

I knew that Marissa meant well, but I figured that being in the Games wouldn't be fun. But perhaps...if I told Marissa about my tendency to pick fights with other boys...  
"Actually...I kinda get into fights sometimes. Okay, a lot. But it helps me make money to help care for me...and my dad."

Marissa and Tihi didn't seem that surprised. "Well, I can't guarantee you'll earn money, but you do have experience with fighting, which could help you out in the arena. However, you make sure you're smart about that tributes you choose to pick fights with because you might walk away with more than a bruise or a scratch."  
I rolled my eyes. Sane kept on telling me who to pick fights with and who not to. This was just the same thing, only everybody had weapons and wanted to actually kill me.

"Okay, cool. I can handle this stuff."  
"I hope you can. Tihi, darling...how about you? What do you like to do for fun?"

Tihi shrugged. "I help out at a medicine shop. We sometimes use plants for medicine in 12. Also my parents make and sell shoes. I could use a sewing needle...I guess."  
"Medicines and plants can be very powerful knowledge. So, looks like we figured what you two will do in the arena."

"Yep," Honestly, I couldn't wait to take some of the other tributes down.

* * *

 _Equila West, 14_  
 _District 10 Female Tribute_

* * *

Desmond had been staring at me ever since we got on the train and hadn't stopped; it felt a little weird. Even Vermont had noticed, but decided not to say anything about it.  
"Hey...it's Equila, right?"

"Um...yes." I turned to face Desmond. "What is it?"  
"I like your hair. It's a pretty color."  
Vermont lost it and burst out laughing while I blushed. "Oh, I didn't notice. Um...thanks...I guess?"  
"No problem. Can we watch the recaps now?"

Vermont nodded and turned on the TV. Down the line the Reapings went, starting from 1 and ending with 12. Vermont told us to keep an eye out for allies, though I had already decided it would be easier to run this alone. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to take a look at the competition.

Once District 12 had been shown, Vermont clicked off the TV. "Find anyone who you think you'd get along with?"  
"The guy from 7...Fennel. He's cool." Desmond suggested. "Maybe I can ally with him?"

"Not a bad idea. Equila?"  
"Um...no. I think I'll go solo without and allies."  
That didn't get a good reaction from Vermont. "Allies might help you live longer." When I shook my head, he sighed. "Oh, alright. Just make sure you're careful, okay?"

"Okay," It was just like the rebellion again. Me against the world. Only this time...there was nobody to help me out.  
I was on my own.

* * *

 _Dany Kai, 16_  
 _District 4 Male Tribute_

* * *

Rainna was still flying over the moon with having Reaped twins, which neither of us were very happy about. We were gong to be sent to our deaths! Couldn't Rainna focus on that!?  
Anya had stopped crying and had yet to leave my side. We had been on the train for a while now and had done nothing but sit on the couch an watch the recaps.  
Seeing District 4...hurt. Mom was looking much braver than the two of us, but she had tears in her eyes, having to watch one...maybe both...of her children perish in the next weeks.

Once the recaps were over, Rainna beamed at us excitedly. "Well, what interesting tributes! I'm gonna go take a nap. Dinner will be ready in about forty-five minutes."  
Both Anya and I watched her go. "Well," I finally said. "Glad she's gone. Let's talk games."

"Mom said that we had to get on the Capitol's good side," Anya mused. "So...we shouldn't do anything rebellious or that would get us killed. And maybe we stick together, since they might like a twins angle more than us being two separate people."  
"That's pretty smart. I wouldn't mind; we are twins and we're gonna stick together."

Anya nodded. "That's right brother. You and I were born into this world together and we're gonna fight until the end together."  
"That's what we do, watch each other's-"

"DINNER!" Rainna screeched, bouncing into the room. "Oh, you two look so cute bonding like that! Ah, the love between a brother and a sister!"  
I stood up. "Come on, let's go eat before Rainna starts pinching our cheeks or something."

Anya stood up too, facing me. "I'm actually pretty hungry. Plus, I'd like not to have my cheeks pinched as well."

* * *

 _Harper Winthrop, 15_  
 _District 8 Female Tribute_

* * *

I did _not_ like Eywill.  
The feelings weren't one-sided, since I was pretty sure he didn't like me either. Or Sliver, who he kept saying had been an extremely weak and stupid victor. Or Christof. Or pretty much anybody except for himself.

Dinner was served at about 6. I didn't mind, since food sounded pretty good to everyone at the moment. We were all starved from the day's activities.  
I was a little nervous about being the only girl and the youngest person at the table. But when the food was finally placed down in front of us, all attention was off of me and onto Eywill, who seemed to have a complete lack of manners, shoving food into his face like no tomorrow.

Sliver had been sitting on my right with Christof on his right. He took a bite of his beef and turned to me. "So, I'm supposed to be mentoring the two of you. Of course, I have no clue what to say, but I promise I will try my best. Got it?"  
"Sounds good to me," Anybody who could help me survive longer sounded good to me.  
"Where to start off. This might sound cruel and selfish, but...you're gonna have to kill."

"What!?" I dropped my fork.  
"You heard me. You'll need to eliminate competition."  
"I don't...I don't believe this. There's got to be another way!"

Sliver shrugged. "That's the easiest way out," he said, taking a sip from his glass. The mood around the table felt somber and nobody else said another word.

* * *

 _Terran Straw, 16_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

I had already made up my mind.  
Pellia meant the world to Winnow and Winnow meant the world to me. No matter how said it would be to see your boyfriend perish in the Games, I knew that in her heart of hearts, Winnow would've sister just a tad more.

Dinner was a very quiet affair. Nobody had anything to say to one another. We wondered around the train a bit, before Calendria said that it was time to go to sleep. I was too tired to argue with her on that.  
In my room, there was shower as well as chest of drawers packed to the brim with clothing. I took a quick bath, put something on, then crawled into my bed.

But sleep had yet to come and I found myself tossing and turning. The seconds turned into minutes and even hours. Just as I was dozing off, there was a knock at my door.  
"Ugh...who is it?" I called, groggy.  
The door creaked open and there was Pellia. "S-sorry...but I just couldn't sleep!"

"Me neither. Why, what's wrong?"  
Pellia burst into tears. "I wanna go home! I miss District 9, I miss my friends, I miss my mom, I even miss my dad...and I miss Winnow!"  
I sighed. "I miss my family too. But we're stuck here now and there's not much we can do about it. But don't worry. I'm sure Winnow misses you too, but there is a chance you can go back home. And she'll be waiting for you, with open arms."

"You sure?"  
"Oh yes, I am sure. Get some sleep. Calendria won't be happy if we can't keep our eyes open tomorrow."

* * *

 **That's Lena, Caxton, Equila, Dany, Harper and Terran for you! The other six districts will be shown riding the trains in the next chapter.**

 **Do you think there are any alliances starting to form? How about relationships? Who do you think might actually have a shot at winning?**


	20. Train Rides Pt2

**Here's part 2 of the Train Rides! Now I'm one chapter closer.**  
 **We're getting there, guys, I can feel it.**

* * *

 _Carina Pitchcoff, 17_  
 _District 1 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Carina! Foxy! Time for breakfast!"  
Groggy, I pulled off the sheets I had gotten tangled up in, threw on some fresh clothes, then left my bedroom. Foxy had beaten me to the table and was now pouring syrup over a golden waffle, while Benjamin sipped on some coffee. Suddenly, he almost dropped his cup when he caught sight of me.

"Carina! What have you done to your hair!?"  
Half a waffle sticking out of his mouth, Foxy turned to look at me as well. I reached back behind my neck to feel where my long, flowing blonde hair was...or should've been before I stole a kitchen knife yesterday and cut it all off.

"I cut it off. It was probably gonna get in the way."  
"Well, now it's all jagged and slanted. I'm gonna have to get someone to fix it up for you once we hit the Capitol. Now come eat."  
I took the only empty seat and started loading up on the food. Foxy's eyes felt as if they were on me the entire time. When I glanced up from my plate, he was still staring at me.

"What?" I hissed.  
"Nothing," he muttered, turning back to the waffles. He grabbed another one and drenched it in syrup.

Breakfast was actually pretty good. I tried a little bit of the sausages, pancakes, waffles, bacon, fresh fruit, pastries and oatmeal. Once I washed it all down with my third glass of orange juice, Benjamin asked us what we wanted to do next.

"Go digest." I muttered, patting my now full stomach.  
"I wasn't surprised." Benjamin sighed.  
Foxy just laughed.

"Oh shut up, both of you." I groaned, trying to hide my smile as I sat down on the couch.

* * *

 _Urijah Woodley, 18_  
 _District 11 Male Tribute_

* * *

After breakfast, one of the cooks told me about a balcony on the last car of the train. After he pointed me in the correct direction, I wasted no time finding it and sitting down, watching trees and hills and the world flow by.  
Sasha would've liked this. A nice train ride speeding through Panem. Minus the whole "going to your death" part. When I made it through the arena and won, maybe I'd buy an entire train. Just for her to use and-

"Oh...sorry for intruding."  
I glanced from my spot on the balcony floor. Willow was standing in the doorway, nervously glancing at me.  
"What do you want?" I mutter, not really in the mood to talk to anyone. Couldn't she see I wanted to be left alone?

"I didn't know you were out here. The bartender said I could go out on the balcony if I wanted. But now that we're here..."  
I sighed. I knew what she was asking for. It was the same thing the guys in he alleyway wanted before I bashed their stomachs in.

"If you want an alliance with me, than you can just forget it. You'd do nothing but slow me down and there's plenty of girls you can skip around and build flower crowns with so why don't you ally with them? I'm here to win. I'll kill if I have to."

Willow backed towards the inside of the car. "I was just asking. I'll go if you want." She turned on her heel and hurried off.  
"More than fine with me."

Perhaps I was a bit too harsh on her, but I wasn't in these Games to make a bunch of best friends. If my gang wanted me back and Sasha wanted, no, needed her big brother back, then I was certainly coming home. No time for frolicking around, for becoming best buddies. I was gonna survive.

* * *

 _Demara "Dem" Filenfire, 15_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Why do you care about those other tributes you keep making lists of?" Valkner muttered. "Instead of doing that, you should hunt them down and listen to them screaming in pain as you-"  
"I want an alliance," I said, for what I felt like was the hundredth time. "We'll protect each other and survive longer together."

Valkner rolled his eyes, then hurried off, after a mouse the staff told him was loose around the train. Good for him; now I could work on my alliance in peace.  
I decided for my alliance, I didn't want Valkner. He was too scary and kept seeing the Games differently then I did. The tributes from 1 and 2 probably wouldn't really wanna ally with me either, so I decided to count them out.

There were a lot of female tributes who were closer to my age, which was great. Now I could form an alliance with all of them and we'd go into the Games keeping each other safe and protecting each other from harm. Hopefully, my plan would work out.  
I folded up a paper containing potential allies and put it in my pocket, to use as reference for later on. Then I heard a squeaking noise.

At my feet stood a little brown mouse, clearly confused abut where he was. I quickly scooped him up and hurried to the nearest door, where I opened it and let the mouse free. He squeaked again, the jumped out of my hand into the bushes.  
I smiled as I watched him scurry away, Valkner didn't share the same enthusiasm, though. "Where's that stupid mouse? I can't wait to get my hands on him and use him for a trap I've been dying to try out!"

"I swear I don't know." I said quietly, heading to my room.

* * *

 _Fennel Rielman, 15_  
 _District 7 Male Tribute_

* * *

Allegro had been doing everything she could to cheer us up about our current situation. She had the cooks feed us huge gourmet cheeseburgers for dinner, let Everly style her hair, and even listened to my band's songs, though they didn't sound so good with me trying to hit all the notes by myself. She smiled at the end, but her face told me that she didn't really approve of the message.

I had to admit, whatever magic Allegro was pulling from her sleeves, it worked. Both Everly and I were kinda relaxed and the three of us were catching up on Allegro's favorite TV show. Once the episode was finally over, Allegro clicked off the TV and faced us.  
"Well, we'll be at the Capitol in about an hour. Now, I have one final treat for both of you. Bring it in, boys!"

At her command, a servant hurried over, carrying a huge tray with giant sundaes on top of it. Bowls of candies and bottles of sauces stood nearby.  
"ICE CREAM!" We yelled at the same time. I grabbed my sundae and quickly coated it in sprinkles, chocolate chips, cookie dough, and something that Allegro called caramel sauce.

Everly had dumped the whole bottle of chocolate sauce on top of hers and was already digging in. She smiled brightly. "Mmm, it's so good! Thanks Allegro, you're the best mentor ever!"  
"Aw, please! You're making me blush. But be careful to eat slowly. I've had a brain freeze before and they're not that fun-"

Ow!" I yelped, dropping my spoon so I could reach for my head with my hand. There was a cold sharp feeling seeping into my brain.  
Allegro sighed.  
"What did I just say, Fennel?"

* * *

 _Florina Locke, 15_  
 _District 6 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Do you kids want anything else to eat?" Jubilee asked. "Maybe a cup of water? Or a sandwich? I could ask the cooks to make you something if you'd like...Florina, don't you wanna change into some actual clothes? We'll be at the Capitol very soon."  
"No." Jubilee kept wanting me to change, even though I didn't want to. Why did it matter to her that I wore something that was considered weird in broad daylight? I just wanted to read my book.

Speaking of books, I had actually found a car that was a full-out library. Spending time in there was pretty fun and there was just so much to read. I knew I would never finish all the books, but I wanted to see how many of them I could complete.  
There was someone dusting in the library when I wandered in. She stopped when she saw me. "Oh, hello...lookign for a new book?"

I nodded.  
"Well, there's plenty here to read. But this..." she grabbed a novel with a blue and red cover off a nearby shelf. "...would be my personal favorite. It's just so gripping! And a real murder mystery too! Give it a try, sweetie. You'll like it."

I had nothing else to do and didn't really feel like talking to Zander or Jubilee, so I took the book with me to the couch and read. The woman was right; it was a really gripping book. Probably the best mystery that I had ever read.

* * *

 _Bolte Seymour, 13_  
 _District 5 Male Tribute_

* * *

Spartacus shook his head. "You're a real cute kid and all, but in that wheelchair you won't get anywhere."  
"What do you mean?" I asked.  
"It means you're gonna need your legs. You won't have them in the wheelchair. Follow me. Thessaly, you too."

Grabbing a pair of wooden sticks on the way, Spartacus led us to an empty car. He flicked on a light and wheeled me to the center. "Alright, Thessaly...move back. Further. Keep going. No wait, too far. Come here a little...stop! There, that's good. Bolte, stand up."  
Once I did, Spartacus moved my wheelchair aside, handing me the sticks. "Use these as crutches. Now, walk to Thessaly as fast as you can."

I tried what he asked me to do. Hobbling slightly, I made my way towards Thessaly, who quickly caught me before I could fall forward.  
"Okay, I caught him. Now what?" Thessaly asked.  
"Bolte, come back to me. As fast as you can walk."

I made my way forward, but ended up leaning in the wrong direction. Before I call land on my face, Spartacus leapt forward and threw his arms around my waist, hoisting me back up.  
"Are we done now?" Thessaly was starting to get a little impatient.

"Not yet. We need to see how fast he can run."  
Both Thessaly and I groaned loudly.

* * *

 **There was the Train Rides! Carina, Urijah, Dem, Fennel, Florina and Bolte!  
Don't worry if your tribute wasn't given a POV during the Train Rides. The tributes who didn't will get a POV during Training.**

 **Let me know what you think of the tributes!**


	21. Tribute Parade (sponsored by Capitmilk)

**So...not much new with me. I got my hair dyed green though.**  
 **Yes...I like green.**

 **I realized that while we do know who Taurus is, we've never actually gotten a POV from him. So, I figured it would be cool to see the parade through the eyes of a Gamemaker. How does that sound?**

* * *

 _Taurus Blackman, 34_  
 _Head Gamemaker_

* * *

After shoving through a thick and noisy crowd full of paparazzi, news reporters, adoring fans, and those people from TV (no Capitmilk, I do not want to star in your commercial), I finally got to my seat. It was a good one, too. Sterling had reserved it just for me, in a little booth all to my own. Perfect. Even though we were at a Parade, I still had work to do.  
I reached into my briefcase and pulled out a blank notebook. Grabbing a pen, I wrote "Tribute First Impressions" at the top.

Most people thought that the parade was just for gawking at a bunch of kids in fancy clothing. For me, it was something else. Time and time again, I had been told that we couldn't have a rebellious victor running around and stirring up all sorts of trouble. Sterling wanted to keep another rebellion from happening.  
That's where the mutts came in. If the tributes were rebellious, or I sensed that something was off with them, I had full permission to kill them via mutts, if nobody else got to them first.

I scribbled _District 1_ underneath my title, glancing back at the road beneath my little booth. A team of Avoxes were cleaning up some litter and dirt. The Parade was going to start very soon.  
And it did.

The crowd screamed out loud at the sight of a pair of gleaming white horses pulling a chariot containing Foxy and Carina. They seemed to be wearing opposite colors. Carina wore a shimmering silver dress with a red crown and shoes, while Foxy had on a golden suit. She was shimmering while he looked dusty. But they both waved and smiled to their adoring fans. Both smiles seemed forced, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt. Must hurt to show off your pearly whites for that long.

If District 1's cheers were loud, District 2's could've broken the sound barrier! Pulled along by two sleek, black race horses, everyone loved our volunteers Lena and Adonis. Their outfits seemed very fitting for them even if they looked plain; Adonis in a midnight blue suit and Lena in a deep purple dress. Two different colors for two different tributes.

I wrote down some notes. By the time I looked up from my paper, District 3 was out along with pale grey horses. Demara gave the crowd an adorable wave, in a metallic dress decorated with computer code. Valkner clearly wasn't going for that look, in a black and dark red suit that reminded me of those vampires from the horror movies. He pulled it off very well, though.

I had seemed quite the contrasts and maybe I could've used a little break. With a chariot led by horses who had obviously been dyed an ugly baby blue, Dany and Anya shared quite the resemblance. She wore a dress of peacock feathers and he wore a suit covered with precious gems. Each wore a crown with the other's design. Gosh, this twin angle wasn't gonna get old, was it?

Writing a bit more down, I could hear laughter when I glanced up. Bolte was a lightbub! Well not really, but his dress shirt was a bright, almost blinding yellow and his pale grey pants didn't help either. He was blinding the ashy colored horses and Thessaly, who wore a reddish blouse and blakc leggings. Her hair had been pulled away from her face, which didn't seem to help her at all.

I rolled my eyes, writing _lightbulb_ under Bolte's name. District 6 also had a pair of black horses and once again, quite the difference. Zander wore all black, minus his silver tie, which helped him out with that sadistic edge he seemed to be going for. Florina looked much cuter, in an overall dress with a pair of goggles and some black tights underneath. Wasn't bad, considering I needed something darker to look at after the whole District 5 fiasco.

Everything about District 7 was natural, from the light brown horses to the outfits of Fennel and Everly. She had on a puffy Kelly green dress, with darker green leggings underneath. Fennel had a matching tie and a brown suit, the collar he kept tugging at. Both seemed to bask in the glow of the audience, almost looking surprised that the cheering was for them. I scrawled some stuff down, when laughter started up again.

7 was beautiful but 8 was a completely different story. I could tell that quite a bit of effort had been placed in Harper, as she reminded me of thread with her flowing, blue lacy dress and her headpiece. On the other hand, Eywill just wore...a brown towel. Yes, that was it. It didn't cover up much of him, but it certainly it did get its job done, which I was very thankful about. Harper felt the same way too. I swear I heard the reddish horses sigh too.

Thank goodness for 9, acting a bit as a saving grace. I was surprised how more mature Pellia looked in golden dress made up of a tank top and a shimmering bottom. Terran looked similar but also quite different in a yellow dress shirt, black pants, and black shoes. The crowd went nuts upon seeing them. Terran gave a confident wave while Pellia, although shy, beamed at the flattering attention. The dirty blonde horse trotted on.

Pulled by a pair of blonde horses, everyone got a kick out of District 10. Equila was both fancy but casual, in a pale green dress and ankle boots. But Desmond was something I didn't think I'd actually see, wearing a slightly ripped leather jacket, blue jeans and a checkered tie over everything. He mimicked playing a guitar which everyone had to laugh and smile at. I was even chuckling when I turned to my notebook to put something down.

District 11 had dark brown horses pulling their chariot. At first I was kinda confused, but then it dawned on me that with his plaid shirt and faded jeans, Urijah looked a lot like...a lumberjack? Do they even have those in 11? Willow was kinda normal in a white lace top and darker leggings, which combined with each other nicely. Points to District 11 for their thinking outside the box...I guess.

Last but not least was 12. riding with dusty-looking horses. And they were not gonna go outshined. Tihi had a white Greek toga on with flowing fiery fabrics over it that everyone seemed to love. Caxton was completely shirtless (I swear I heard some lady in the crowd scream with joy) with only a white robe covering his groin and carrying a fake hammer. Going for a bit of an ancient look here, guys. I can tell. Very, very cool.

Most people cleared out soon after. I stayed behind to update and fix my notes. I did have good handwriting, but only when I wasn't in a rush.  
Finally, everything was in order. I packed my work up and began to leave. But soon, i was stopped by some random guy.

"Um, excuse me, fine sir! Capitmilk is working on a new commercial and we wonder if-"  
"No!"

* * *

 **Before we end this chapter, I would like to say that-  
Try Capitmilk today! We produce special quality milk for all you dairy lovers and have recently come up with a cherry-flavored one! It's delicious, nutritious, and will never make your kids choke when they drink it and wonder what kind of parent you are! I love the cherry taste! I am saying this because I actually did drink this and not because I'm being payed a hundred bucks to!**

 **Hope you liked the parade. A bit of a short chapter, but pretty straightforward. I tried to follow what everyone wanted their tribute to wear, but there were some where I added, took away, or ended up making it all up on my own.  
I should explain...I think that the idea of costumes for the tribute parade wouldn't come until a later Games, so for now the tributes just wear fancy clothing.  
**

 **Whose outfit did you like? You didn't like? Like meeting Taurus? What do you think of him?**


	22. Training Day 1

**Another update this quickly!? Wow, I'm really spoiling you guys!**

 **Chances are the Training chapters will be uploaded more quickly. Mainly because summer and mainly because I have trips booked and will try and make sure you all have something to read while I'm away and unable to write.**

 **I promised you all that if your tribute was not given a POV on the Train Rides, he or she would get one in Training. And I have kept it.  
**

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

 _Beep! Beep! Beep!_

I groaned as I stuck my hand out, in an attempt to turn the alarm clock off. But instead of actually reaching it, I knocked it off the nightstand. Either the plug fell out of the socket or it landed on the snooze button, because the beeping quickly stopped after that.  
I wanted to go back to sleep, but Benjamin had already entered my room and was standing over me. "Come on, up, up, up. You have training today and you don't want to miss it."

As much as I didn't want to move, Benjamin was right. I did have a bit of training under my belt, but it couldn't hurt to brush up on old skills or try out new ones. I changed into an outfit let at the foot of my bed. Black sweatpants with a matching T-shirt. Both had white stripes running down their sides and mu district number on the left shoulder.

Carina was already dressed and eating when I walked into the dining room. Her outfit was exactly the same as mine, but the chest area seemed to be a bit looser and her district number was on the right shoulder. Benjamin must've found a stylist somewhere because her hair had been fixed so it no longer looked all jagged and uneven.

I sat down and grabbed a muffin. As we ate Benjamin gave us some info on training. "...they do this because they want you to actually have an idea of how to kill one another before going into the Games. Granted a lot of you may have experience with weaponry from the rebellion, but you should still go down. Also, make sure to review the survival skills. Last year's arena was a forest, if you catch my drift."

I caught the drift. I also caught the stare I was given when Benjamin said, "rebellion." But not like I was gonna tell him anyways. About that night...about my guilt...about my wrong opinion...  
"You okay, Foxy?"  
"Yeah," I shook my head. Don't think about it. "Yeah, I'm fine."  
"Good. Let's go."

* * *

 _Adonis Rupture, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

Training wasn't a bad idea. Growing up with Peacekeepers for brothers and sisters didn't mean that I actually knew how to handle their stuff. I tried to use it once and ended up with a baton to the shin. I was bruised for a week.  
Lena and I took the elevator down to the Training Center. We were one of the last districts to arrive and joined the others in a semicircle around the head trainer, a middle-aged man with silver hair and blue eyes.

"Hello there. My name is Rector. The other trainers and I are here to guide you through your training. Now, please keep in mind that-"  
He listed off different kinds of stations and which we should spend most of our time on. He also listed the rules. Training Center opened at 10 and closed at 5. A lunch break would be given. No physical contact with other tributes. Trainers were available if you needed any help.

I kept my eyes on the tributes around me, hoping for someone who could be a good ally. Once Rector finally stopped talking, I made my way towards the throwing knives station, only to have someone else grab my arm.  
It was Urijah. "Hey...Two."  
"Y-yeah?"

"Okay...how do I put this...I want an ally. Namely, you. The girl from 1 is with me and she wants you as well."  
"To join your..."  
"Yes." Urijah nodded. "To join our alliance. I think together, we'd be a real force."

That was a surprise. I caught Carina staring at us. She seemed less harsh than Urijah, but nodded. I guess they wanted me because they figured I'd scare away the other tributes, like they did. An alliance didn't sound so bad, though. I had been meaning to make one. "Just us three, right? In that case...sure."  
"Good." Urijah let go of me and headed over to Carina. I followed, thinking to myself, _Wow Adonis. You're with the big kids now._

* * *

 _Tihi Lowe, 15_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

Edible...not edible...oh yes, very poisonous.  
I was working on figuring out what was edible and what wasn't. I had been spending quite some time memorizing everything, in hopes that it would help me out in the arena. Finally, I had sorted all the berries out and was putting them away when I heard a small cough.

Behind me were two tributes. I recognized them as the girls from 3 and 6, but I had forgotten their names. I introduced myself anyway. "Um, hi...I'm Tihi."  
"Hey!" the girl from 3 chirped. "I'm Demara, but you can call me Dem. This here is Florina." Florina waved at me shyly; she then went back to staring at her feet.

"So..." Dem was still staring at me. "Wanna join our alliance? It's small for now, but I think it'd be awesome to have you with us."  
I gave that idea some thought. An alliance? I understood why they wanted one in the Games...but only slightly.  
"What will we do?"  
"Well...we'll protect each other from the Games. We'll share food and help each other survive."  
"Kinda like friends," Florina chimed in. "But...not really."

Friends? Cool. I wanted some friends.  
"Okay...I guess I'm in."  
"Yay!" Dem clutched my hand and squeezed it tightly. "I'm so glad. Come on, let's go ask Bolte if he wants to join."

As Dem pulled me in the direction of the boy from 5, Florina gave me a small smile. "I think she's always like that."

* * *

 _Willow Harper, 15_  
 _District 11 Female Tribute_

* * *

As I made my way to the fire-making station, I noticed a group of tributes nearby. Still staring at them out of the corner of my eye, I started gathering resources. Everly was working beside me and already had a few sparks going. I guess this caught some attention, because the tributes hurried over to her.  
There were four of them in group. I recognized Demara from 3, Florina from 6, Bolte from 5, and Tihi from 12. Everly stood up to join them and suddenly, five shadows loomed over me.

"Can...I help you?" I asked.  
Florina shifted nervously on her feet. "We were wondering...actually, DEM was wondering...if you would like to join our alliance!"  
"Way to throw me under the bus, Florina. But yeah. I think you would be a good asset to our alliance and probably really useful."

An alliance sounded really good. Especially since if the arena was gonna be full of Urijahs, allies would be awesome to have.  
"I'm sold...I'm in."

Dem gave me a quick hug. "Great! We'll be one big happy group of friends! How does that sound?"  
Bolte laughed as he steadied himself on his crutches. "Yeah, I like that." Both Tihi and Everly nodded in agreement.  
"I like it too." Florina muttered quietly, but she was grinning too.

So...these were the people I was going into the arena with. A big happy group of six friends. Not a shabby group, I guess.

* * *

 _Confirmed Alliances (so far)_

 _The Big Kids:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _So No One Told You Life Was Gonna Be This Waaaaaay!:_ Demara, Bolte, Florina, Everly, Willow, Tihi

 _Loners:_ Foxy. Equila (this was confirmed in the Train Rides chapter)

* * *

 **Keep in mind we still have eight more tributes and two more training days to get through, so more alliances will probably be created.  
Also, I made up the alliances and names. Yes, that's the Friends theme song. I couldn't resist.**

 **So...what do you think about our alliances so far? What other alliances do you think might form? Let me know!**


	23. Gamemaker-Gator

**I know that my previous chapter was rather short, since I wanted to use it to focus on forming alliances and...well...it was rather bland. I'll try with this chapter to make it a little more interesting, but I promise, come events like the Games and interviews, I will make them more interesting and longer.**

 **Also I know that the alliances last chapter were rather big. Keep in mind that most of the tributes are probably still in that stage where they realize they're in a deathmatch, but it doesn't really feel like it. So chances are, if they're naturally friendly or on the extroverted side, like Dem, they might be treating this as an opportunity to meet new people and even make a couple of friends/allies.**

 **So...this chapter isn't a Training chapter. It's more of an interlude and basically has no purpose other than to show off what's happening with Sterling and Taurus.  
**

* * *

 _President Sterling Snow, 39_  
 _President of Panem_

* * *

Sometimes, the life of a President was boring.  
To outsiders, it never seemed that way. After all, I was the most powerful person in the country! Everyone would die to be me! How could I say that about such a lavish lifestyle!?

But in reality...I didn't have as much fun as people thought I did. I had to turn down party invitations. I didn't always get to see my kids daily. My only friends were my coworkers and I'd be so lucky to have a non work-related conversation with them. I spent so many nights working late in the office. I had to supervise all sorts of things. Luckily, it was the end of the day or else I would've arranged an execution for the next person who placed a bunch of reports on my desk.

I needed a break.

Leaning back in my chair, I stretched and gave off a slight yawn. I had finally finished organizing everything and figured that I should go check to see that everyone and everything was in order before I could head home. In the direction of the Gamemaker room, I could see light shining from a crack in the door. And I already knew why.  
Pushing the door open, I wasn't the least bit surprised to see him dump a briefcase of papers on his desk and start sifting through them. He turned on his laptop and grabbed the first paper.

"Taurus...please. It's late. Everyone else went home. Why are you still here?"  
Taurus didn't even look up. "Why are you still here?"  
"I'm the President. It's my job to be here. And what's so important that you can't just save the work for tomorrow?"

Taurus started typing something. "I'm...just searching up something. It's no big deal. I should be done in an hour at most."  
"An hour?" I leaned over his shoulder. "Searching something up shouldn't take an entire hour. Let me see."  
Taurus moved over in his chair; if a President wanted to see what you were working on, then it would be wise to let him. What looked like an identification paper popped up on the screen with the name _Pellia Sheath_ at the top, showing a picture, DOB, age, gender, place of residence, and some additional notes.

"What does this have to do with anything?" I asked.  
"You always keep telling me that we can't have a rebellious victor running around Panem and giving everyone unwanted ideas," Taurus explained. "So I did a little snooping. I'm gonna dig up everyone's past. See what I can discover."  
"What are you gonna do if nobody seems to kill a rebellious tribute?" I asked.

Taurus pointed to a nearby cart. I could see a darkened tank with something moving inside. Clearly, Taurus was keeping it hidden in the shadows for a more dramatic reveal.  
"What's in there? You know what, I don't wanna know. So...I'm guessing that you're going to find out each tribute's history with the rebellion?"  
"Yep. At the very least, I'm sure they all have heard of it. I'll make note of who we don't want to win and keep that in mind once the Games start."

I nodded. "Excellent. I always knew you were the right man for the job."  
Taurus scribbled something down and searched up another identification paper, this time belonging to Zander Trans. "Okay. Do you mind if..."

I understood what he wanted. A little alone time to finish up his work. As I headed for the door, I couldn't help but peek into the tank nearby.  
Inside, what looked like a baby alligator was snoozing. It was a greenish-brownish color and I had to admit, looked kinda cute! I leaned in to take a closer look when its head jerked up and it snapped at me.

Taurus looked up with a smirk on his face. "I see that you've already met Albert. Nice little guy, isn't he?"  
"Yeah," I discreetly rubbed my hand across my face to check if it was still there. "Yeah, real friendly. But why do you have an alligator in here?" I knew Taurus had some real interesting and clever ideas from time to time, but I wasn't too sure about this one. Was the alligator a pet or something?  
Taurus just shrugged. "Using him for a model."

"A model?"  
"You see, we're going to design all of the mutts here before placing them into the arena. Some of them are going to be molded after Albert, so he's basically here to give us a basic concept design for the mutts. We want them to look realistic and frightening."  
"I see."

Taurus turned back to his laptop. "Good. Don't worry, I'll make sure that he doesn't bite anyone's arm off or something. And if you please, I've still got work to do."  
I gave Albert once last glance before leaving the Gamemaker room, shutting the door behind me. It still seemed out of place that there was an alligator in that room. I wondered how many people Taurus had to convince to let that thing stay in there, even if Albert wasn't going to bite someone's arm off.

And people say my job is exciting.

I wasn't going to give it much thought. I headed back to my office, grabbed my coat, locked everything up, and left my home, the President's mansion. It was late, I was tired, and I did not want to see anymore taxes before I had a nice dinner with my family and a good, well-deserved rest.  
My kids were waiting for me when I got home. They ambushed me with hugs and asked me if anything new happened at work and all (especially Coriolanus) got a kick out of hearing that there was now an alligator named Albert hanging out with the Gamemakers.  
Even I had to admit, it was funny when you put it that way.

* * *

 **Sterling's such a good dad, isn't he?  
So...this chapter was pretty much almost to act like a bit of a sneak peek for the arena. Or rather, the mutts inside it. The fact that Albert is almost Taurus' unofficial mascot already says something.**

 **Also, this is the last chapter before I go camping for a week, so nothing will be updated during that time period. I will try to update once I come back, though.**


	24. Training Day 2

**Hey guys, guess what!?**  
 **I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!**

* * *

 _Anya Kai, 16_  
 _District 4 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Poisonous...not poisonous...actually edible...not poisonous unless you fancy a bloated stomach."  
I had gone over almost every single plant about three times now, doing my best to memorize what was and wasn't edible. this was important; I didn't want either of us eating the wrong berry.  
It was pretty obvious that I wanted to ally with my brother. The only person I knew I could fully trust. The one who would forever have my back.

"Hey Anya," Dany held up a dark berry, almost black. "Tell me, dear sister. Edible or not?"  
I shook my head. "That, my dear brother, is atropa belladonna, better known as deadly nightshade. Poisonous and if you don't eat enough to kill you, you can suffer hallucinations."

Dany dropped the berry. "Not edible then. Good. I was testing you. Hey, let's go try out the climbing station. Looks fun."  
I sighed. "Do we have to-"  
"Yes."

I let my twin brother drag me to a rock climbing wall. The trainer standing there gave us a couple of safety tips before strapping us into a pair of harnesses. Can't have the tributes accidentally hurting themselves before the Games actually start.  
"Alright, make sure your harness is nice and tight." The trainer adjusted me before pulling out a timer. "And...GO!"  
I ran for the wall, Dany right behind me. Grabbing onto the rocks, I yanked myself upward as fast as I could. Dany seemed to moving be a bit ahead; I could hear him grunting.

I continued to pull myself upwards when I suddenly slipped and skidded down the wall. Catching my footing, I began to climb back up. I was almost near the top when a hand extended towards me.  
"Need some help?" Dany asked.  
"Huh? No fair, I slipped!"

I heard him laugh. "Too bad." Dany grabbed my wrist and yanked me up the wall. "Come on, let's race down. First one to the bottom-"  
I didn't let him finish before I started moving down the wall.

"Hey, that wasn't fair!" Dany yelled, but he lowered himself down beside me. I just playfully stuck out my tongue at him and continued moving faster. He got to win his race and now, I was going to win mine.

* * *

 _Desmond Juetar, 13_  
 _District 10 Male Tribute_

* * *

Sickles were weird.  
I noticed the boy from 9, Terran, try his hand at them before me. While I waited, I used a hair elastic Equila let me borrow to tie my long blond hair back so it wouldn't get in the way.  
The trainer had me try some moves first. The curved blade didn't make it that easy to use, but I gradually got the hang of things. The trainer easily over powered me though, sending me flying onto my back with the blade at my throat.  
Tired and slightly bruised, I joined the other tributes for lunch. Good. I was hungry and now I could focus on a mission I had for a while now.  
Ally with Fennel.

He was pretty laid back and I heard he had a musical background. But every time I saw him, he was either busy or talking to someone, meaning I couldn't talk to him. Hopefully, now was a good time.  
Most tributes fit themselves at the twelve tables, sitting with allies or alone. Fennel didn't even bother; he was cross-legged in the corner, zoning out and munching on bread. I crossed over the room and plopped down beside him.

"Hey,"  
Fennel looked up. "Oh. Hey. You're the boy from 10, right?"  
"Yeah. I'm Desmond. I just wanted to ask you...alliance?"

"Huh?"  
I swallowed some of my gravy. "Wanna ally together? I heard you're into music and I am too. I think that we have a bit in common, so allying together would be pretty useful, don't you think?"  
Fennel seemed interested. "You like music too? Cool! I was hoping for an ally and if what you say is true, I don't mind."

That made things easier. I held out my hand. Fennel didn't even hesitate before grasping and shaking it firmly.  
"Glad to have you on board. Can we sit at a table now?"  
"...okay, sure."

* * *

 _Pellia Sheath, 12_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Let's try some snares," Terran suggested after I finished eating. "That way, you still have time to digest."  
I nodded and followed him over. I had stuck rather close to Terran yesterday and was doing it today. He had told me his plan to ally together and keep me from harm. While I was worried for him, I was also glad that I could trust him to help me out in the arena.

Snares took some time to set up but if you did them right, they worked easily. My first few were terrible but with some practice and a little help from Terran, they worked enough to catch some fake animals the trainer let us use.  
Terran stood up and stretched. "Alright, I'm just gonna go to the bathroom. Pellia, you stay here okay?"

I nodded and watched Terran hurry off. I then turned back to my snare and continued working on it. As I grabbed a fake bunny to trigger the snare, someone violently kicked it and the whole thing toppled over.  
"H-hey!" My voice caught when I glanced up to see Eywill smirking at me. Oh no, not him...

"Cute snare you have there, sweetheart. Pathetic attempt at making you look like a real contestant, huh? Well, just a heads-up. I am the real winner of these Games. You make sure that wimpy partner of your knows that too, little b-"  
"Is there a problem here?"

I relaxed. Terran was strolling up towards us, not looking very happy. Eywill's grin faltered. "What's your problem, whimp? Can't handle me talking some sense into these bratty spawn here?"  
"She's not a brat. Listen pal, you better leave her alone before I get the trainers over here. And I assure you they won't be as polite as I was."

Eywill scowled and stormed off. Still, I couldn't stop myself from throwing the fake bunny at him, hitting the "real winner" in the head. I was the youngest tribute, but not the weakest.

* * *

 _Valkner Stross, 18_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

I spent the entire time studying poisons. If I wanted to establish myself as a threat in the arena, what better way than to use poisons?  
I kept smiling coldly to myself the whole time, imagining what horrible tortures I would release on any tributes in the arena. My mind kept slipping into how interesting it would be the hear them scream, then use the poison to end it all once I got bored or annoyed. Soon they stop screaming. And then everything becomes less fun.

I dipped my hand in the poison, casually smearing it along the table. Imagining as if I was running it on bare skin. Oh, the pain it would cause if it were to seep into their veins, killing them slowly but surely-  
"Um...sir...training is officially over. You may head to the elevators."

I wiped my poison stained hands on my pants and followed the other tributes to the elevators. I kept getting a few weird stares but I didn't care. Come the arena, they would no longer be staring at me this way. Instead...  
"What's with your hands?" Demara asked once I got off the elevator. "Isn't that the berries from the station?"

I just smirked and shoved my hands in her face.  
"E-ew! Valkner, get away from me!"

I laughed quietly and headed to my room. Demara was still a bit upset about me almost smearing poison all over her face, but I just ignored her. I carefully washed everything off and headed to the dining room, ideas of what to use to the poison for still fresh in my mind.

* * *

 _Confirmed Alliances (so far):_

 _The Big Kids:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _Still A Pretty Huge Group:_ Demara, Bolte, Florina, Everly, Willow, Tihi

 _The Twins:_ Dany, Anya

 _Musical Pairs:_ Fennel, Desmond

 _District 9:_ Terran, Pellia

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Valkner, Everly

* * *

 **I hope you guys are glad to have me back! Camping was really fun (minus getting eaten alive by mosquitoes)! But I'm glad to be back.**

 **Let me know what you think of this chapter and of the tributes we saw! These are not all of the alliances; finalized alliances will be revealed at the end of Training Day 3. But still, we glad a good look at who's allying and who isn't.**


	25. Training Day 3

**So...as of now, this story officially has 100 reviews! That may not seem like a lot in comparison to other stories, but to me it is! Thanks guys!**  
 **And yes, I knew about the whole recycled tribute thing. Yes, I know who it is and the author of the story this tribute was resubmitted to. I won't reveal any names to start anything from happening, but I will shed more light on that later.**

* * *

 _Thessaly Tudor, 18_  
 _District 5 Female Tribute_

* * *

I wanted to try my luck with a weapon. After all, what good would you be in an arena with dangerous tributes and enemies everywhere if you couldn't defend yourself? To me, it was almost like the rebellion. Every direction I turned would be someone waiting to strike me down and I had to fight hard to get back to the ones I loved. only this time...I was not just another rebel on the street.

When Bolte and I disembarked from the elevators (Bolte still on his crutches), I noticed a rack of spears sitting in the corner. The trainer waited by them patiently, hoping for a new pupil to teach. I left Bolte to go do whatever he was doing and crossed the room to the trainer.  
"Is this where I can practice with spears?" I asked.

The trainer seemed a bit startled, but regained her composure. "Yes. I've set up a few targets over there already. Now if you mind, let me give you some pointers-"  
Throwing spears seemed a lot easier than I thought it would be. Perhaps I had a bit of a more natural gift. Or perhaps because during the rebellion, I was used to throwing branches and pipes and all sorts of things at Peacekeepers. But I didn't tell the trainer that.

My first two shots weren't that good, but at least I hit the target. My third was much better, getting closer to the center. I was about to throw my fourth spear when a voice behind piped up, "Hey."  
The spear left my hand before I even knew it. It flew just above the floor and hit a target to my left, where Zander from 6 was practicing. He gave me a weird glance.  
I spun around and found myself face-to-face with a girl that had dark brown hair in a single braid. "What was that for!?"

"Geez, calm down! If you want, I'll start over. I'm Harper, from 8. And I wanted to talk to you about...an alliance proposal." The girl held out her hand in my direction. "Basically, I'm asking if you want to be allies. With me. You're pretty strong and brave, so I thought that you'd be good to team up with."  
I would've preferred someone older, maybe closer to Zander's age. But the way Harper handled everything was rather professional and I found myself impressed. "What's in it for me if I say yes?"  
Harper raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, okay! That wasn't a serious question! I get it, we can watch each other's backs! Fine." I grabbed her hand tightly and shook. "I'll be your ally."  
Harper beamed. "Great."  
"Okay. Can I get back to my spears please?"

* * *

 _Zander Trans, 17_  
 _District 6 Male Tribute_

* * *

Beside me, the girl from 5 turned away from her new ally and went back to throwing spears. I decided to leave, in case she did another stupid throw that ended with me getting skewered.  
I strolled around, looking for a station to do. Soon, I noticed the swords trainer sitting there, clearly in the mood for someone to fight. I had done swords yesterday, but the idea of going against a new challenger sounded interesting to me.

Going over a few pointers, I climbed up on the mat and faced the trainer. "Alright buddy. Try me." I waved the sword in his face.  
The trainer sprung forward, but I ducked and his sword went swooping over my head; I could feel the blade against my hair. I jumped up and whacked the trainer's back with my blade, causing him to turn around and hold his up to my throat.  
"Now, your opponent holds the higher advantage," he instructed, still keeping his sword in place. "Make one wrong move and this could be your end. What do you do?"

I gripped my sword and swung hard. The trainer's arm flew upwards and blocked part of my vision and soon I found myself lying on the mat with the trainer above me. "Too late. You were decapitated and now you're dead."  
"What...how? Didn't I injure-"  
"Kinda hard to injure someone when you have no head."

I stood up. "Let's rematch, now. And this time, please tell me what to do if someone tries to decapitate me."  
He just smirked. "Don't get decapitated. It's as simple as that."

This trainer was very lucky that I wasn't allowed to physically use the sword on him. Or else I'd be making kills before the Games had even started.  
I charged, not afraid to swing my sword and take my temper out on it. Imagining I was in a real fight. this time, I wasn't gonna lose.

* * *

 _Everly Asfaw-Pratt, 14_  
 _District 7 Female Tribute_

* * *

I liked my alliance. Really. I did. They were rather nice and at some time, reminded me of my friends Nellie and Mackenzie back home.  
Though we were a lot like a big happy family, I had noticed partnerships starting to form within the alliance. It would've been hard not to. Dem and Florina often traded jokes and family stories. Considering that Dem had founded the alliance and recruited Florina first, that did make a bit of sense.

To me, it was strange that Bolte and Tihi would get along best with each other. Though that probably was because the first thing Tihi said to Bolte was about a special plant that could ease his joints and help him out with his ankle. My guess as that they both felt a little less normal than the rest of us. A lot of times Tihi just seemed out of it and Bolte was the only boy in our group. Make sense they'd be best of friends.

For me, I hung out with Willow. I felt like she was more or less a neutral point in our group. Not overly positive or helpful like Dem, or a complete wallflower like Tihi. Just kinda there...but made me glad that she was just kinda there.  
The two of us were hopping from station to station that morning, Dem's suggestion. The hatchets station was practically deserted, so I pick up of the smallest hatchets and put on a brave face.

Willow hid a smile. "You look so ridiculous like that."  
"Me? No I don't," I muttered, casually swinging around the hatchet. The end flew upwards and hit me in the face. Willow tried to look surprised and sorry, but her face betrayed her and she gave a laugh.

"No wonder Districts 7 and 11 didn't win the Games last year. Their main products are brainless idiots."  
Eywill smirked, standing behind Willow. "When will you two learn that the Games aren't all sunshine and rainbows? Better learn how to use that weapon, brainless, or else you won't stand a chance when I slit your throat in the arena."  
I felt myself resisting the urge to throw the hatchet in Eywill's direction, mainly because I thought it would be mean to splatter Willow in his blood. However, I turned to the target nearby and threw the axe, pretending it was Eywill's head. I almost missed, but the blade manged to hit the edge. Willow nodded in amazement.

I was gonna outlast him in the arena, just he watch.

* * *

 _Eywill Dye, 18_  
 _District 8 Male Tribute_

* * *

Geez, why was everyone here so sensitive?

When I talked to that stupid 9 girl yesterday, her district partner made a really dumb choice of standing up for her. This morning, I noticed that the boy from 10 had his long blond hair in a ponytail again. When I made a completely harmless comment about his hair, his ally told me to go away. And just now, the two crybabies from 7 and 11 were giving me death glares. Didn't they know that back in 8, it was an honor if I said something to you?

Idiots.

It was getting close to dinner anyways, so I got in the elevator and headed to my floor. Sliver and Christof were sitting on one of the couches. When they saw me, they both looked away.  
"Corpulent," I heard Sliver mutter under my breath. He seemed tired and annoyed, but was still ready to compliment me.  
Christof's mouth curled into a sarcastic grin. "That may be the most fanciest thing I've ever heard you say."

"Oh, shut up."  
Harper arrived a few minutes later and went to go take a shower. At dinnertime, I kept getting disgusting looks all around. I ignored them and chowed down on the amazing pork ribs on my plate.  
Sliver frowned. "Okay, whichever of you smells of sweat, please go take a shower...Eywill, I'm talking to you-"  
"Shut up. Can't you see I'm eating here?"

Christof just rolled his eyes and took a sip of wine. "Oh well. It's always nice to see a man who'll take the time from his busy day in order to make himself look like a complete idiot."  
Harper burst out laughing, while Sliver cracked a smile. I grabbed another rib and dug in. Clearly, they're weren't talking about me, so..

* * *

 _Finalized Alliances:_

 _The Big Kids:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _A Big Happy Family (in the words of Everly):_ Demara, Bolte, Florina, Everly, Willow, Tihi

 _The Twins:_ Dany, Anya

 _Musical Pairs:_ Fennel, Desmond

 _District 9:_ Terran, Pellia

 _Two Brave Women:_ Thessaly, Harper

 _Someone Please Kick His A*s:_ Eywill

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Lena, Valkner, Zander, Equila, Caxton

* * *

 **Guess which tribute is probably gonna become my punching bag. I'll give you a hint: it's the one guy everyone throws shade** **at.**

 **So...considering the issue over the recycled tribute, I have something to say. I actually started reading the story at one point, then saw that there was a tribute from my story in there. While I have nothing against the author of this particular SYOT (who's a really good writer), I think that this was very lazy on the submitter's behalf.**

 **So, I will add a new policy regarding recycled tributes: they will NOT be winning the Hunger Games. I thank those of you who had pointed this out and if you find out that one of the tribute in my SYOTs is recycled, don't be afraid to let me know.  
If the submitter of the recycled tribute is reading this, I'm okay if you PM me to talk about the issue further, or if you have any complaints about my descion to prevent your tribute from winning. I think that I've been fairly reasonable with criticism I've received so far, having changed certain characters and chapters up if something wasn't done right.**

 **Long story short: If you submit to me I recycled tribute (and no, I don't care if I received them first!), I will find out. And I will guarantee that your tribute will not be winning.**

 **That's all I have to say! Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!**


	26. Staying in the Spotlight

**So...just a heads up. In this SYOT, I skipped Private Sessions and scores because I figured they wouldn't be introduced in such an early Games. In my book, they were added later on, perhaps when the Games started to become more popular with the Capitol and sponsorship was invented. So, I went straight to Interviews instead.**

 **I randomly chose four tributes who will have a short segment during Interview preparations and usually a generator to determine the order. I am trying to give every tribute and equal amount of screen time, though. Likely, the Interviews will be told from the perspective of an outsider.**

* * *

 _Pellia Sheath, 12_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Why do we have to do Interviews?" I asked Calendria the next morning. "Being in front of so many people sounds scary...I don't think I could do it."  
"Don't worry about it," Calendria replied, sipping some coffee. "The Capitol does interviews so people can get a sense of who you really are. You can also use this to appeal to the Gamemakers. Just to make sure you don't get on their bad side or anything."

That didn't help at all. "But it still sounds scary."  
"Not as scary as Eywill," Terran replied. We both started laughing. Even Calendria smirked. "Okay, okay. Now, we need to find an angle. It's always best to portray yourself in a way that the audience will like. You want them to find you interesting."

It wasn't interesting enough to show off myself the way I was? "I need to look more exciting? I'm really scared now...I'm not gonna like it."  
Calendria gently cupped her hand under my chin. I remembered her showing me a picture of her young son and wondering if she comforted him in the same way.

"I can't control whether you enjoy the interview or not, sweetheart. And I know that people react to the spotlight differently. But don't worry. It's only three minutes. Once you're up there, time will fly before you even know it! If you think it will help, think of the audience as people that you know from 9. Cheering you on. Also, I'll be in the crowd too, so you can just stare at me the entire time if you want."

I nodded in agreement. Her words helped quite a bit. Maybe imagining the stage as something it wasn't would help me out. And it was just three minutes. If I could survive the Reaping, then I would survive this.

* * *

 _Demara "Dem" Filenfire, 15_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Maybe I can talk about my allies. Or my life back home! Oh boy, I'm just gonna talk everyone's ear off," I chuckled to myself. Casablanca had suggested figuring out what to do for our interviews tonight. He asked me directly, probably because I had rather sane and reasonable answers.  
Valkner rolled his eyes. "Yes, you have a real talent for that. My strategy will make me way more memorable-"

Casablanca just sighed. "Valkner, for the last time, you cannot bring a rat on the stage, let it loose, then catch it in one of your torture traps. While they'll appreciate any angle you display or come up with, please be reasonable about this."  
"Torture traps are reasonable, "Valkner hissed. "Perfect example of my plans for the Games. They'll want to see Game plans, right?"

"No torturing devices," Casablanca said sternly, making it very clear that this conversation was over. "Now Dem, if you have any ideas that do not involve rats or traps or torturing anything, I'd be more than happy to hear them."  
"Well, I was gonna show them that I won't lose hope no matter the situation, maybe talk about home for a bit...I haven't thought it out completely, but..."

"I think you could pull that off. Remember, you're fitting all this detail into three minutes, so say what's-"  
Valkner groaned loudly. "You win. I could never catch a rat in only three minutes."

"I'm glad we cleared this up," My mentor wasn't very excited to deal with Valkner again. Valker opened his mouth to speak, but clsoed it when Casablanca said, "No, you may not bring a trap onto the stage."

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Can't I just wing my whole interview?" I asked Benjamin. I had a hunch that questions about my family would be asked and I really wanted to avoid having to answer those. Plus, Benjamin kept stressing how important interviews were and that was starting to get on my nerves.  
"You could," Carina replied. "...but, you'd end up looking like an idiot if you don't answer something properly." She stuck her tongue out at me.

 _Who died and made you Miss. Interview-Know-It-All?_ I thought, but decided not to say it out loud. Carina seemed like the kind of person with a bad temper if you pushed her too far and I figured my chances of surviving were better if I didn't.  
"I'm not going to decide how you should portray yourself, but make sure you don't paint yourself in a negative light. I heard that this year, the Gamemakers are gonna be keeping a closer eye on you guys and I'm sure that likely, they'll be in the audience somewhere. If you wanna increase your chances of survival, make yourself look presentable to them."

It was no big secret that the Gamemakers controlled the arena and I was sure I could appeal to them. Carina must've thought otherwise, because she jabbed me in the ribs with her elbow. "Yeah Foxy, you gotta look presentable."  
"Carina..." Benjamin warned. "...this means no attitude."

Carina glared at him. "I don't give attitude."  
Benjamin gave her a look. Carina just sighed, obviously not happy she got called out on something and I didn't.

I probably shouldn't have stuck out my tongue, but I did anyway. Who was the presentable one now?

* * *

 _Urijah Woodley, 18_  
 _District 11 Male Tribute_

* * *

Interviews were gonna be tough. I knew talking about my life with my gang back home would be a bad idea. Not everyone in the Capitol would care about that.  
There was also Sasha, but I didn't want any Capitol freaks getting their hands on her. No, the spotlight I had been thrust into was mine, not hers. She could handle it, but I figured that too much attention on her would distract her from what she wanted.

Me coming back home.  
Willow and I sat down to lunch. Our mentor, whose name I had already forgotten, said he had a phone call from his wife which he left to the room to take. So it was just the two of us on opposite ends of the table, chewing quietly.

"What are you gonna do?" Willow asked me. Obviously an attempt at making conversation.  
"None of your business." I muttered.  
"I was just asking a question-"

"What I decide to say fro my interview tonight does not involve you," I snapped, cutting off a piece of steak and washing it down with some water. "You worry about you and your little daisy pals. I'm the only one who needs to worry about me. Got that?"  
Our mentor strolled back in. "Is there a problem here?'

"N-no, sir." Willow replied.  
"Alright, good. I hope that you've both given the interviews at least a bit of thought. We'll be leaving for them in about three hours."

* * *

 **Alright guys, I've got news.**

 **My family's been planning a big trip out east for a while now. It's gonna be about two weeks and I'm pretty excited about going! So once again, this update was just so you'd have something to read during this time. I might be catching up on stories on my vacation, but I won't be able to update during this time.**

 **I swear, once I get back, I'll be staying in place during the rest of the summer. No more crazily long camping periods or vacations. I wrote this chapter because I didn't want to have to write something big (like interviews) until I had more time to do so.**

 **So...will Pellia be able to handle the exciting atmosphere of the interviews? How do you think Dem and Valkner will do? Is Foxy making a smart move in winging everything? What's Urijah's plan?**

 **Hope you like this chapter and don't mind the long wait for more!**


	27. The Interviews

**Well...I'm back!**  
 **So here are the Interviews. I have changed the original layout of them. We will get to see Taurus again, but I'm going to introduce a new character. I think you guys are gonna like her.**

 **I have a lot of funny stories from my vacation and I could sit here and talk about them all day, but that's boring and I don't wanna be boring. Now, Lights...camera...**

 **ACTION!**

* * *

 _Taurus Blackman, 34_  
 _Head Gamemaker_

* * *

"But Daaaaaaaad!" Virgo groaned as she followed me to the prepaid tickets window. "Deborah was having a party tonight and I finally got an invite! You know who Deb is, she's the one with the big fancy house and the crazy stories, and-"  
"If these parties sound like what I think they are, then you can bet that you wouldn't be allowed to go anyway," I responded. "It's a 13th birthday, not a Sweet Sixteen. Plus, what's better than spending time with your old man?"

Virgo snatched her ticket from me. "You're boring."  
"Um excuse you, my dear, but I am the Head Gamemaker. There's only one of me in all of Panem. What right do you reserve to call me boring?"  
This gave Virgo another excuse to roll her eyes. "Ugh, you're SO dramatic."

"You didn't get that quality from your mother, you know. Come on, let's find our seats."  
More or less, our seats found us. Virgo and I crawled into a cozy little booth with velvet couches, almost directly above the stage. An Avox soon appeared with a glass of wine and a Shirley Temple. I took a sip from my drink and pulled out my notebook.

"What's that for?" Virgo asked.  
I flipped to a clean page. "Notes."  
"This just proves my point that you're boring."  
"Come on, the interviews aren't that boring. Plus, you get to see all the tributes up close. You'll be envied at school!" These were good seats. I could easily see all angles of the stage.

Soon the lights began to dim and all focus turned to the stage. Two white chairs had appeared out of almost nowhere and one of them had been turned away from the audience. It soon swiveled around and the crowd cheered loudly.  
I had met Genevieve a couple of times, but never really knew her directly. But Sterling had thought that she'd be an amazing Master of Ceremonies and I heard she quit her job as a news reporter to take up his offer.

Tonight, she wore a strapless gold dress that extended to just past her knees. Her sash, boots and hoop earrings were all silver. Her caramel skin shone brightly and her black hair had been pulled into an elaborate hairstyle.

"Welcome to the 2nd annual Hunger Games!"

* * *

 _Genevieve "Gene" Virce, 26_  
 _Master of Ceremonies_

* * *

I may have only had this job for two years, but I loved every moment of it. Now, it would be time to show off this year's tributes Gene-style.  
I held up my hands to calm the crowd down. "Okay, okay. Silence please. Thank you. Now, it's great to be here and to see you all again. Last year we were introduced to something called the Hunger Games and this year, we'll be introduced to it again. Let's start this up! Please welcome...CARINA!"

Carina proudly sashayed onto the stage. She had on a pink dress with yellow shoes with a rose headband. I gave her a warm smile as she sat down next to me. "Well Carina, it's a pleasure to meet you. Tell me, what do you think of your time in the Games?"  
"I've actually had more fun than I expected!" she chirped. "There's a lot to see and I wish I could spend a bit more time here." Her voice sounded too high-pitched to be real.

I decided not to press the issue when Foxy came out. He wore a black suit with a baby blue dress shirt underneath. He sat down and squirmed nervously.  
"So Foxy...you feeling ready for the Games?"  
"Yeah."  
"Yeah?"  
"Yeah."  
"Okay, great talking with you."

Lena was wearing a nice lilac dress with a golden laurel on her head. I gave her a grin, but she was obviously not in the mood to return it. She sat down and gave me a rather icy stare.  
"So Lena. You were one of three volunteers this year. And the question is, why-"  
"It's none of your business," she snapped. "I didn't want any of this; it's not fair, she wasn't supposed to die, and it's my fault, it's my fault. She said she'd come back, and she didn't, and it's because of me."

With that, Lena stormed off the stage. I turned my attention to Adonis. He had on a sparkling grey suit and a charming smile.  
"My, you look dazzling!" I laughed. "You don't have to answer this but tell me Adonis, what sparked you to volunteer?"  
His smile faltered a bit. "Well...it was a promise...a chance to prove myself...it's just...really hard to explain. I'm sorry."

I had to admit, I felt sorry for the guy as he left and Demara appeared. She had a very cheerful expression, with a flowing green dress with simple gold bands as jewellery.  
"Why hello, Demara!"  
"You can call me Dem."  
I liked her already. "And you may call me Gene. But I'm glad to see that this entire situation has not caused you to lose your stride."

Dem nodded. "Yep. I'm going to go in these Games full of energy and hope."  
I loved the way she displayed herself and wished I could say the same with Valkner. he was covered from head to toe in black clothing, just adding to his creepiness. I asked him question after question, but he refused to answer. Finally, when I asked him his strategy, he replied with, "Those who cross me won't make it out alive." I decided not to press further.

Both Dany and Anya arrived at the same time, beaming happily. They both had on bright and elegant blue outfits. Dany gently helped his sister into the chair and stood behind it.  
"Well you two look amazing tonight! Just curious, has the stress of the situation put an impact on your relationship?"  
"No," Dany replied. "We love each other way too much to ever let anything prevent us from taking care of one another. We're glad that the Capitol has been so supportive of us both."  
Anya nodded. "It is quite amazing to be here and share the experience with my brother."

I watched the two of them walk off the stage together. The sound of Thessaly's footsteps soon turned all attention to her and her purple dress. Her hair wildly flew around her face. She sat down and eyed me directly.  
"So, Thessaly, what are you going to do come the Games?"  
"I'm going to survive and come home. I think I've proved that very well. I want to get out of these Games as soon as possible and back to 5, where my family will be waiting for me."

Thessaly had proved herself to be passionate. Her district partner Bolte, was trying something else. In a sparkly blue suit, he hobbled onto the stage with his crutches and carefully lowered himself into the seat, smiling shyly.  
"So Bolte, you're definitely at a disadvantage with your broken ankle. What do you have to say about that?"  
"Well, I'm going to keep myself as optimistic as possible. I won't let my ankle keep me from trying my hardest to survive. Don't you count me out yet."  
"I know and I won't."

The crowd went nuts with affection as a slightly confused Florina tumbled out, wearing nothing but a pair of pajamas. She squirmed a little, but relaxed a bit once I gave her a comforting smile.  
"You certainly have an interesting fashion sense, honey. So tell me, how have things been going?"  
"Well...I miss my family. My father, my sisters, my stepmother." Florina's voice quavered. "So I'm going to try and get back to them." Cute!

If Florina was cute, then Zander was intimidating. His suit was all black, minus the metallic grey tie. He casually draped himself over the chair.  
"Wow, you seem quite the confident guy. Scared, Zander?"  
"Actually...not really. I think I have what it takes to pull this off and I know for a fact I can be real competition if I want to. So...no, I'm not scared."  
"Glad to hear that! Best of luck!"

Everly floated onto the stage in a cutesy pink, white and brown dress. Her hair had been braided and fell down her back. "I did it myself," she said proudly.  
"Well, it certainly is beautiful." I smiled. "I wish I had someone who could do my hair like that. If you get back, you must teach me."  
Everly beamed and I couldn't help but return the expression. Everyone let out a sigh at seeing her so happy.

Fennel, wearing a beige suit, causally plopped down onto the chair beside me. His hair had been pulled into a braid as well. "Everly got bored backstage."  
"I can see that. Fennel, I heard you were part of an acapella group back in 7. What's that?"  
"Acapella? How do I explain it...it's like music, but instead of using instruments, you use your voice to make all the sounds. It's really cool and fun."

Harper looked like she meant business, in a short peach dress and matching accessories. I couldn't help but ask her, "Are you nervous?"  
"Yes. But I'm not letting it show. I know that while I will try, I might not come back alive. Simply because...well I won't be doing any killing."  
"Why?"  
"I was a giver back in 8. I helped out orphans on the street. There's a lot of younger kids in these games and killing them would be like killing those orphans and I would never do that."

Harper had a good reason for deciding not to kill. I was actually kinda impressed, but that soon faded when Eywill came out. He had nothing but red underwear on.  
"Eywill, the Interviews are treated like a formal event. Don't you think you should've worn something a bit nicer?"  
"Hey, is that any way to talk to the future Victor? Listen lady, I know what I'm doing and I don't need you, my stupid excuse of a mentor or anybody pretending you didn't know that fact. Now shut up and let me concentrate on winning!"

Nobody was sad to see him leave the stage and trip over the chair leg. Finally, he was gone and I turned my attention to Pellia. She had on a golden dress, obviously meant for a child like her.  
"Don't worry Pellia, I'm not going to bite. How have things been going for you?"  
"Okay, I guess. I am scared though. I don't wanna die."  
Murmurs of sadness rippled through the crowd as a wave of sympathy washed over me. I reached for Pellia's hand and squeezed it softly. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do great!"

Terran was next. He had on a golden jacket and pants over a white shirt. "Thanks for comforting Pellia. I understand she was very nervous about the whole situation."  
"I don't blame her. Terran, sources say that you've been dating her sister. What does this mean to you?"  
"It means that my girlfriend, Winnow, is going through some hard times. I'm going to do what I can to bring Pellia home. Sure I may die, but I rather have my girlfriend happy once her sister is finally safe."

I nodded to him as he left. Equila soon arrived, in a simple sky blue dress with white accents. I had to admit, if it came in my size, I would wear that dress.  
"Have you been enjoying your stay in the Capitol, Equila?"  
"Well...it's cool...I guess."  
Sounded like I wouldn't get much out of her. "Alright, I'm glad to hear that. Good luck, dear."

Equila smiled shyly and left. Desmond was next and while he had on a brown dress shirt with rolled up sleeves and black slacks and his hair pulled into a manbun, he had dancing his way over, pretending to be playing a guitar.  
I laughed. "Well Desmond, you're quite the showstopper. And any plans for the Games?"  
"I've always been taught to try my best, so that's exactly what I'm going to do. If I come across someone who needs help, then I can help them. I'm pretty sure these Games will be tough, but I'm going to make sure I don't give up."  
"I love it. I wish you and your music skills the best."

I noticed that Willow had a little bit of makeup on, which went really well with her outfit. She had on a green dress that gradually faded to white. She had a bright smile on her face, but her posture was that of a nervous girl.  
"You okay, Willow? You seem nervous."  
"I...I am...I don't do well in crowds..." Willow's voice cracked slightly. "As for the games...I'll try, I guess."  
"As long as you try, you'll be alright." I responded. Willow looked a little more comfortable now.

Urijah strode towards me in a red suit. He was definitely feeling confident.  
"Well you seem ready for the games."  
"I am. It's gonna be just like back home. With nobody I care about around and the playing field being pull of stupid idiots who don't know what they have coming for them. And I'm ready."  
"Okay then...nice chatting with you."

Tihi's eyes narrowed as she approached the stage. She had on just a simple blue dress. I tried to greet her but she didn't respond.  
"Tihi, how do you feel about the Games? Think you have a chance? Are you scared?"  
"Not as scared as I thought I would be."  
This conversation was a lost cause. When Tihi left, I simply waved goodbye and prepared for the final tribute.

Caxton's outfit was also very simple, just a grey suit that actually fit him very well. He bothered giving me a smile before sitting down.  
"Caxton, I heard you used to get in a bit of trouble with others back in your district. What can you say about that information?"  
"Yeah well, don't you ever pick a fight with me unless you're looking for a bad time. It's as simple as that."  
"Simple indeed."

I glanced back at the audience. Most seemed ready to leave. "Now, those were our tributes. But don't go anywhere yet! We still have one final surprise!"  
The crowd began to quietly talk among themselves. A spotlight shone down on the 24 tributes, who were all sitting in a row on a higher up stage behind me. Most seemed surprised as to what was happening.

"Now, here for one night...and one night only...Head Gamemaker...TAURUS BLACKMAN!"  
The crowd went nuts with excitement as the man himself stored onto the stage. He had on a black suit, with a brown tie. A little symbol was stitched onto his clothing, the sign for Taurus. He waved to the screaming audience, then approached the tributes.

Most of them were confused; likely they didn't know Taurus very well in the districts. but they still all held out their hands as Taurus shook each one and congratulated the tributes.  
What a cool way to end a crazy night.

* * *

 **I hope you guys liked Gene! I think she made a cool host.**

 **So, this was the Interviews. And via rough estimates, we have about three more chapters before the Bloodbath. So if you are behind on reviewing, I suggest catching up now.**

 **That reminds me, if you have a tribute in these Games please show your participation! If you prove that you are going to keep up with my story and not just drop off the radar, I might reward you by letting your tribute survive the Bloodbath. I have decided that the Victor of these Games will belong to a submitter who actually participates in the story by reading or reviewing and if you want to increases your tribute's chances of survival, reviewing is a great way to do so.**


	28. Seeing Red

**This chapter isn't as important as most of the other chapters. Just here to give you an insight at what happened after the Interviews and because I felt like it.**

* * *

 _Eywill Dye, 18_  
 _District 8 Male Tribute_

* * *

Sliver came down after Taurus left to take us back up to our room. I liked that. It was like having your own personal servant. And you know you're well high up when your servant was the Victor of the 1st annual Hunger Games.  
 _All hail King Eywill,_ I thought to myself. King Eywill. Yep, I liked that title. It fit me perfectly, like a cozy blanket or just the right pair of pants.

The elevator ride was quiet. Sliver stayed in the corner the whole time, with a small scowl on his face. He was mad. But lucky for him, I knew why. He was upset that I called him out and proved that I would become a way better, braver, stronger, more popular victor than he would've ever been. And sometimes, it takes a while for news like that to sink in. He was lucky that I told him that before he got too full of himself.

The elevator finally stopped. Good. I was getting tired of waiting anyways. I barged past both Harper and Sliver into the room. Harper just glared at me, but Sliver said nothing. He was still upset and I wondered if maybe to make him feel better, I could talk to him. He would like that. Anybody likes it when the great Eywill Dye talked to them!

"So...um...I know you're upset that you couldn't keep the truth hidden any longer," I began. "But there's no need to be jealous-"  
"Stop."  
"Um, excuse me, you have no right to talk to me like that right!"  
"Eywill..."  
"Come on, stop acting like you don't know I'm the one who's gonna win these Games! And I will! I will perform so well, that it will put you and your pathetic story to shame!"

Harper gasped. Sliver finally looked me in the eye. "Oh really?"  
His tone scared me a little, which was unheard of. Nobody can scare the great Eywill Dye!

"You seriously want to do this, Eywill? You want to tell me, the only living survivor out of 23 dead children that my story is pathetic? You just don't get it, do you?"  
"No, you're the one who doesn't get it! You keep underestimating me! All of you! And when I become victor, you'll regret everything, whether you like it or not!"  
Sliver just shook his head. "I don't care. Really, I don't. I'm tired of constantly hearing your side of the argument over and over with you trying to prove me wrong. Now...it's your turn to hear mine, whether _you_ like it or not."

His voice attracted some Avoxes into the room, but they all kept their distance from us. Good, they would need the protect themselves from all the sick burns I would use to easily destroy Sliver in this argument. "Fine! Let's hear how wrong you are!"  
Sliver's eyes narrowed. Harper smirked, but she quickly covered her mouth.

"You just don't get it, do you? You want to be a victor but you don't understand how much I've been trying to help you do that. You're taking my advice for granted, every last word coming fro my mouth and I can guarantee you're not even listening to me right now. I am the only person who knows what happens in the arena and lived to tell the tale. You're better off listening to what I have to say because when they put you in there, you won't last a day."  
"No, I will last-"

"There you go, ignoring me again. I'm trying Eywill, I'm trying so hard to bring you home but I can't do it by myself! I need you to cooperate but you simply refuse to! You're arrogant and narcissistic with practically no regard for others. You are too wrapped up in constantly complimenting yourself that you forget to focus on the real world. And sometimes, you're an ass! You know what, I'm done. I can't help you any more. Go ahead and ignore me. We'll see where that gets you tomorrow."

With that, Sliver turned around and headed for the elevator. Harper and I just watched him go. The Avoxes went back to their work, giving each other shared glances. I was just left standing there with Harper.  
"Geez," I groaned. "What's his problem? Crybaby."  
"You," Harper simply said. "You're the problem." She headed off to her room.

Me? A problem? No, no, no, that wasn't right. I was the solution! I always had been. The one they feared but secretly admired. Nobody had ever talked to me like that before. And...I had to be honest, I didn't know what to do about it. But I would eventually. The great King Eywill always gets what he wants.

My great and important thoughts were interrupted by Christof strolling into the living room, sipping his martini. "Well, thanks for interrupting my sleep. I heard everything."  
"Whatever. Who does Sliver think he is, treating me like that? Well fine, I can just ignore his mean and unimportant insults."

Christof just took another sip from his drink. "Sure, do whatever. At the end of the day, it's your funeral, kid."

* * *

 _Everly Asfaw-Pratt, 14_  
 _District 7 Female Tribute_

* * *

I ended up squeezing myself onto an elevator with Fennel, Desmond, Zander, Urijah, and Carina. Luckily, there was still a bit of room left so we weren't also pressed against each other. The ride felt a bit slower than usual so to help us pass the time, Desmond tried making small talk with Zander, who just ignored him and gave me a strange look instead.

Eventually, the elevator stopped at out floor, so we hopped off, Fennel waving goodbye to Desmond as we did. Allegro was waiting for us on the couch, sipping some sweet-smelling drink and reading a magazine.  
Fennel coughed loudly. "Hi Allegro. We're back."

"Oh, I didn't hear you two come in! I saw the Interviews from the television up here. Nice job, both of you. Oh, you've made me so proud!"  
I blushed, hoping it wasn't too noticeable. Allegro put down her magazine and wrapped both of us in giant hugs. "Now, why don't you get to bed? You've got a big day ahead of you and sleep is very important."

Going to bed sounded great. But I was starting to feel a bit of cramping in my gut. It hadn't been very noticeable on the elevator, but I could really feel it now. Sleep was going to have to wait.  
"Um...Allegro...do you mind if I go to the bathroom first?"  
"Of course, dear! You know, you don't have-"

I didn't hear her full reply before I dashed for the bathroom and quickly closed to door. Sitting down to relieve myself, I felt a bit better until I saw the reddish stain at the back of my dress.  
"What!? No! No, no, no, no..." I mummered to myself. This couldn't be happening! Not now, before I was sent into the Hunger Games. No wonder Zander had been staring at me weirdly on the elevator.

I didn't want to break down, but I did anyways. Why did my period have to come tonight out of all nights? Couldn't it just wait a little longer? There would be so much trouble it could cause, so many disadvantages in the arena. I wasn't ready for that!  
As if to add to my misery, there was a knock on the door.

"Go away," I sniffed. But whoever was on the other end just ignored me and opened the door. It was Allegro.  
"Everly...are you okay, sweetheart? I heard you from the living room." Allegro muttered, before glancing down at me. "...oh."  
"Why did it have to come tonight!?" I sobbed. "We're going into the arena tomorrow!"

Allegro stepped outside the bathroom, but quickly returned wit ha fresh roll of toilet paper and a pad. She held the items up and I grabbed them from her. I ripped a long piece of toilet paper off the roll and started wiping at my eyes with it.  
"Do you know how to put the pad on?"  
"Y-yes!" I went ahead and did so. "There!"

"Alright, alright. Now, I don't know what else I can do about your time of the month right now, though I'll see if I can convince the Gamemakers to put something in the arena for you. I'm sure that you know that it won't go away in 24 hours."  
"I know that. It's not my first time."  
Allegro ripped off another piece of toilet paper and wiped away some tears that I had missed. "Chin up honey, it won't be so bad. Just be careful and remember that it will go away eventually. Plus, I'm sure your allies will be willing to support you if you need any help and that I will try to help as well."

I did feel a little better now. "I-i...I guess. Thanks Allegro."  
"No problem, deary. Now, let's get you to bed. Maybe you'll feel better."

* * *

 **So, after the Interviews are over, we got to see what's up with Eywill and Everly. One's just being himself and the other is...well...being visited by her Auntie Flow.  
**

 **Anyways...I have a few more notes about the Games/Bloodbath. One, there will be no sponsoring. I know, I know, you all want to send your babies quality crafted flamethrowers and are now pissed off that you can't. But I believe that sponsoring was not implemented until a later games. That's the problem with doing something like the 2nd Hunger Games. Not everything you see in a normal Games is put in.**

 **Two, I have already chosen most of my Bloodbaths. One or two are still a little shaky, but most of them are pretty solid. I didn't get a lot of Bloodbath submission (only 2, to be exact), so I had to choose. If your tribute does become a Bloodbath, I'm saying beforehand that it was a personal decision based off of the tribute, not the submitter. So please, don't be mad.**

 **If everything goes according to plan, we should have the Bloodbath in about three chapters. One chapter I had planned to include, one featuring the launch, and then the action begins. So stay tuned for those!**


	29. Confessions of a Mentor

**Similarly to the previous chapter, this one isn't too important to the story but I still thought that it would be a neat addition. It's just to give us more backstory to some of the characters that we've seen for a long time but don't quite know that much about.**

 **Also, new poll up on my profile! If you want to vote in it, please go ahead and do so!**

* * *

 _Sliver Wirth, 18_  
 _Victor of the 1st Annual Hunger Games_

* * *

I wish I could see what the stars looked like.  
Or at least see anything but an empty sky. Because District 8 was more industrial than other districts, it wasn't easy to catch a glimpse of the stars at night because of all the smog and factory lights. Same thing in the Capitol. All the city lights blocked out the true lights of the twinkling stars.

I was sitting on the roof of the Training Center. On top of a picnic table, hugging my knees close to me. Pondering about my current situation. About tomorrow. And what I couldn't do.  
I tried so hard! I did everything! But it was worthless. _I_ was worthless. Harper and Eywill refused to listen to me.

Harper refused to understand that it was a literal deathmatch. The Hunger Games had been no walk in the park. You had to fight and fear for your life. If you wanted to ensure your own survival, there was blood you had to shed. There was no way she'd make it through without killing. No matter how much she wanted, there was no way.  
Eywill was an even bigger problem. It was more than safe to say that I had given up on him. Nothing I could tell him would get through that think skull of his. He was hopeless, utterly hopeless.

I glanced back up at the sky, watching the dark clouds lumber on slowly. I could imagine my father hiding within them, watching down on me. I hoped he was watching me. He was the only person who would actually listen.  
"Hey Dad," I felt a bit stupid, but I didn't care. "It's me, your son. Well...I guess you've been keeping taps, right? You've seen the whole mess I'm in."  
Was it me, or did that cloud stop moving? Nope, it kept going at its own pace. Just my imagination after all.

"I know, I've tried everything, but they just keep taking my words for granted. There won't be anything else I can do. They're dead meat." I dropped my head in my hands. A splinter on the table started digging itself into my leg. The air felt chilly. "Dead meat."  
"The survival part...that's easy. You get the hang of it eventually. It's the killing part that ruins you."

The clouds said nothing. I figured they wouldn't understand as well.  
"It's death. That's what killing is. That's what the Hunger Games is. You go in, you come out in two ways. Silent and cold, lying still in a box. Or on your two feet, never the same again. Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration. I don't think it changed me much. It's just...then you have to mentor. And now Harper and Eywill are gonna die. Everyone will think it's my fault and then they'll burn my house down."

I looked up again. No answer.  
"It's...it's hard...okay? Death never leaves you. Never. You know this Dad, I'm still trying to get over losing you. I miss you...a-a lot. Things...you know...haven't been the same without you. Mom misses you, Taffy misses you." I let the tears fall. "I miss home. I don't wanna be here, doing this stupid mentoring thing. But I have to-"  
My words were interrupted by an older Avox with a blanket staring at me.

"Ugh, I'm not in the mood right now, okay? What do you want?"  
The Avox took the blanket and wrapped it around me. Gripping me by the shoulders, he led me back down to my room, stopping at the door to walk away. I could see Christof, sitting at the kitchen counter. He held up one finger, but hesitated when he saw me.

"Actually, I'll get two please. With sugar and cream on the side."  
The Avox quickly left. Christof then turned his attention to me. "Where have you been?"  
I dropped the blanket onto the couch. "Why do you care?"  
"I don't you, I heard you and Eywill arguing, then you stomping out. I left my room and you were gone. Must've put up a good fight, huh?"

I sighed, sitting down. "I don't think they...understand it. Neither of them. It's lost on them that the Hunger Games is a fight to the death. Harper just because she's refusing to kill, giving me that 'I'm a giver' excuse. Eywill...he's a lost cause. He's expecting victory to be handed to him on a silver platter!"  
Two hot mugs of coffee were slid across the counter towards us, complete with a platter carrying sugar and cream. Christof took one and poured some cream into the cup, before adding a sugar cube. "How do you take it?"

"I don't drink coffee." That didn't stop Christof from plunking some sugar into the cup. "Try it now." I took a sip. It tasted a bit better than what I remembered. I could even feel my eyes stop growing heavy. For a while, we sat and stared into nothingness. Finally, Christof spoke.  
"Do you want to know how I did it?"

"How?"  
"Well..." Chirstof just smirked. "Tough love."  
I thought back to my own time training. Christof would have me tell him about my day, then would simply shake his head. Tell me it wasn't enough. How if I didn't give it my all, I would be the first to die. And how angry he made me.  
In the Games, I was willing to fight hard. Not just to come back to my family, but to prove Christof wrong. To show him that the kid he kept saying was gonna die managed to survive. And it worked.

"You scoundrel! You mean you were pretending the whole time!?"  
"Of course. When you were tossed into my hands, I knew I couldn't bring both of my tributes home. I decided to choose the one who would have the better chance of survival and work with them."  
"Me. The one you always referred to as a 'skinny pale kid'. You wanted me as your Victor."

"Well, it worked. Your district partner was always crying and whining; I knew she was a lost cause. You were older and had a bit more spunk to you. My only problem was that you were still recovering from family issues and would need a bit of extra motivation. So I acted like I had practically no faith in you, hoping that you would go into the Games thinking that you had to prove me wrong."

I remembered how much I had hated Christof, simply because of his lack of faith. I thought that he really didn't like me, that he was fine with letting me die. Little did I know that the man hiding behind the mask of a villain turned out to be a hero in disguise.  
What a crook.

"Okay fine. even if you weren't pretending, it's too late to turn back now. But what's that gonna do with Eywill and Harper? It's too late for me to switch tactics with them. Not like they'll suddenly start listening to me anyways."  
Christof chugged the rest of his coffee before addressing me. "It is. And it is my personal opinion, but I think that the arena isn't gonna be pretty for us. But maybe next year, you can try again. And then you might have better results."

"I can't just give up. I'm a mentor. Everyone back in 8 will hate me if they find out I've done nothing to assist their children."  
"They won't. This is as new to them as it is for you. People will probably be a little upset but they'll understand that in the arena, you have no control over who lives and who dies. At least you tried to guide them in the right direction to help ensure victory. But we'll just have to wait and see."

My coffee was pretty much cold now. But I felt a little better. After all, there were only so many things that were under my control. And as much as I would've even liked it myself, I couldn't make everything the way I wanted it to be or magically save Eywill and Harper for the arena. They were the ones in control of their lives and how they wanted to play the Games. Every tributes was. The only thing a mentor could do was try their best but we all had limits.

"You know...this talk seems really out of character for you," I piped up.  
Christof just smirked. "Well, I'm tried. Get to bed buddy, you'll have plenty of sarcasm waiting for you in the morning."

* * *

 **I think it's pretty obvious that Christof is my favorite escort. It's because one minute, he seems like he really cares for Sliver and the next, he's off somewhere being a sarcastic but lovable jerk. I guess I can relate to him a little, because I'm a sarcastic jerk too sometimes.**

 **So the Bloodbath is coming up very soon...and even I'm nervous. I mean, I gotta kill off some tributes here! But who? I love practically all of them! I even love mean old Eywill too...in a love to hate way.**

 **Like I said, there's a poll up on my profile, about who you think is likely to die in the Bloodbath. That doesn't mean these people will actually die, since I've already chosen my victims (after much debating because why they all survive!?) and planned most of the event out. This is just so I can see how surprised people are when the chapter finally comes.**

 **Hopefully, we'll get this stupid Capitol stuff wrapped up! So stay tuned.**


	30. The Launch

**Chapter 30! Wooo!**

 **Also...you all know what's gonna be coming up next...**

* * *

 _Zander Trans, 17_  
 _District 6 Male Tribute_

* * *

Breakfast was silent. There was nothing to say to one another. We both understood where we would be ending up in a few hours.  
Florina could barely hold her head up. She was shaking violently. I watched as she spooned some oatmeal into her bowl, wondering when she would finally drop it and send oatmeal falling onto the table. Clearly, someone was a little nervous.

I was nervous too, but probably not to the point of showing it clearly. If I wanted to appear as a real contender, which I did want to, then it would be best to face forward and stop worrying. The arena would give me plenty to worry about later on.  
I turned back to my breakfast, only to be interrupted by Florina suddenly sobbing. She had just burst into tears out of practically no where, crying and hiccuping. The sight was rather disturbing and I looked away.

Jubilee rushed to her side. "Florina, what's wrong?"  
"I don't...I don't...wanna...I don't wanna die!" she burst into another set of tears.  
"No, no, no, no, no! Ssssh..." Our mentor gently placed he hand on Florina's shoulder. "Calm down honey...calm down. Look...you remember all your training, right? And you have allies, people you can trust. I know that in the Games...well...I believe that you and Zander will do just fine."

I knew out mentor was trying her best, but Florina didn't seem very convinced. I just finished up my breakfast, feeling a little less certain about the day's events.  
"H-how are you not nervous?" Florina asked me shyly.  
"I'm used to things like this. We all die eventually anyway."  
"D-don't say stuff like that, p-please. It d-doesn't help."

I rolled my eyes and cleared the last bit of food. "Suit yourself. Unlike you, I'm actually ready for this."  
That was a lie. Now that it was me who in danger, I felt myself lacking the confidence I was had.

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

I sat with Carina and Benjamin on the couch, ready to soak up some last minute information before the hovercraft came to pick us up.  
"Now, I don't know to what extent you'll need to know this, but each district has a certain color its tributes will be wearing. For 1, it's white. 2 is red, 3 is yellow, 4 is blue, 5 is silver, 6 is black, 7 is green, 8 is pink, 9 is purple, 10 is orange, 11 is and 12 is grey. However, you'll most likely-"

A Peacekeeper poked his head into the room. "The hovercraft is waiting. Time for you to go."  
We were led to the elevator. I stood in one end of it, watching the floors fly by. Finally, Carina and I were then led outside, where the hovercraft was. I cloud see a few tributes boarding already.

Instead of heading over, the two of us just stopped. I gave Carina a look, that she had no probably returning. Finally, she held her hand out towards me.  
"Good riddance, Champagne," she smirked, attempting to keep a serious look. But her eyes betrayed her and the corners of mouth turned up into a playful smile.  
"The pleasure is all mine, Pitchcoff," I responded, sticking my tongue out at her. I grabbed her hand and shook it firmly.

"Are you done?" the Peacekeeper muttered. "Get on the hovercraft."  
I nodded and let go of Carina's hand. She gave me a small smile as we were herded on the hovercraft and the door shut behind us. I sat down in one of the last two seats and stared out the window, only to find it covered with a thick black cloth. The was unfortunate. It would've been nice to see one last bit of familiarity before we left.

The sound of an engine echoed through the room and we began moving.

* * *

 _Valkner Stross, 18_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

It was awkward having cramped all of us onto one hovercraft. I didn't like the seatbelts either. They felt as if they were trying to restrain me, afraid I would spring from my seat and attack some poor unsuspecting tribute.  
I could've if I wanted to, I just figured it would be nice to give everyone a fair chance before they fell to my wrath in the arena. Not like any of them would look me in the eye anyways. The only tribute who would was Dem, but she and I lived on the same floor. Go figure.

The ride was fairly quiet. Some of the tributes dozed off into a nap in order to pass the time. The only person making any noise was Fennel, who was humming some sort of comforting tune until Carina leaned over and told him to shut up.  
I was wedged between Equila and Zander. She was fast asleep, but he was glaring around the area. Finally, both of our eyes landed on each other and I growled.  
"What do you want, Six?"  
"I was about to ask you the exact same thing."  
"Screw off."  
Zander grinned. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

"Oh, shut up. No need to rile me up now, or you'll regret it later."  
"I'll take my chances. You don't scare me."  
I scowled. "Well...I should. And you keep up this attitude, I might place a target on your back."

That got him. He turned away and I began plotting which weapon would be wonderful to bash his head in with.

* * *

 _Tihi Lowe, 15_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

"This is your tracker, Tihi," the woman explained, holding up a large needle. "Please give me your left arm."  
I did as she asked and the needle was stuck in. It whirred for a little, before beeping and was then gently pulled out. I pressed the spot where the tracker was, feeling a little sore. But that was done and I could breathe again, knowing that there were no more needles.

I was sitting at the very end, right against the wall. Beside me was Bolte, which made me feel better. he adjusted his crutches (he told me that his mentor pulled some strings for them to be provided in the arena), then grabbed my hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. I felt a little better.  
Suddenly, the craft shook slightly, causing the sleeping tributes to wake up and everyone to look around in alarm.

A pack of Peacekeepers stormed onto the hovercraft. "Alright tributes, we've arrived at the arena. Please follow us off the hovercraft quietly and orderly."  
The Peacekeepers collected us in district order so naturally, I was the last to go. Three Peacekeepers marched me down a hall and towards a closed door. It was opened and I was shoved inside. The door slammed shut behind me.

The room was very bare, with the only furniture being a plain wooden table and chair. Some food was sitting nicely with a pitcher of water nearby, while a pair of cargo pants and a grey jacket. I changed quickly into the outfit. Not knowing what else to do, I sat down, hands in pockets and waited patiently for someone to tell me what would be next.

* * *

 _Everly Afsaw-Pratt, 14_  
 _District 7 Female Tribute_

* * *

My jacket was a forest green with quite a few pockets. I slipped into it, surprised on how well it fit. Clearly, it was a special jacket, made just for me.  
I glanced over at the table. Some cookies, fruit, water and bread rolls had been set up. There was also a little package with my name on it. I opened it up to find some pads inside. Smiling, I shoved them, into my pocket. A last gift from Allegro.

"TRIBUTES!" a voice boomed over some hidden loudspeakers, making me jump. "PLEASE PROCEED TO YOUR TUBES! WE WILL BEGIN LAUNCH SHORTLY!"

Lunch? That was funny. It wasn't even 10 yet. _No, not lunch Everly. Launch._ Oh. That was something else. I couldn't help but giggle at my stupid misunderstanding.  
At the other end of the room was a large glass tube with a pedestal in it. My guess was that the tube was what the voice had been talking about. I stepped inside and planted both feet firmly on the pedestal.

This was it. Soon, this tube would take me somewhere. My guess was that the arena soon awaited me. Then the butterflies returned.  
I clutched my stomach, not sure if this feeling was nerves from the situation, or cramps from my period. Hopefully, the former. But I really was nervous. Hunger Games! Killing! Death! Who wouldn't be nervous about that?

As an attempt to add on to my fear, the tube made a hissing sound and a glass door slid forward, cutting off any escape. I could see my distressed reflection staring back at me and my breath fogging it up.  
I was now trapped.

* * *

 _Thessaly Tudor, 18_  
 _District 5 Female Tribute_

* * *

I pounded on what was now part of the tube, wondering if it would break off once I put enough force on it. Nothing happened.

I was not a claustrophobic person, so I didn't really have a problem with staying inside the tube. what I did have a problem with was where it led. And why I was trapped in here.  
The Gamemakers put in here. Soon, they would put me out there. I could imagine 24 little mice, scampering around in a maze, until one of them found the grand prize of a block of cheese. Or more accurately, rebels scrambling to escape a giant gloved hand that captured and killed them one by one.

I placed my hand on the tube and wiped away some fog. What was taking them so long? There wasn't any way to escape; we were all stuck and the only direction to go was up. So why the delay? Why not get it over with and dump us into the arena already?  
While I waited, I began to imagine what my family was thinking back home. Having to watch their daughter or sister compete in these horrid Games. Maybe Nona joined them and was comforting my parents right now.

There was a clicking noise and the pedestal underneath me began to rise. Closer and closer to the sunlight above me. Or at least I thought it was sunlight. The closer I got, the more blinding it was. I shielded my eyes as a loud voice rang through my ears. This was it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the 2nd Hunger Games begin!"

* * *

 **Bloodbath? Yes, yes, it will all be next chapter.**

 **Last chance to catch up on reviews before everybody starts dying. Remember, showing your participation will have a small affect on where your tribute ends up. Bloodbath victims have been chosen and the rest of the order is somewhat planned out, though it's probably gonna change later.  
Likely from next chapter onward, there will be more POVs with varying lengths instead of trying to keep them as even as possible. Just a heads-up.**

 **If you have any last-minute Bloodbath predictions, hit me with them now! Have any of your opinions changed? Do you think that with the release of this chapter, that some tributes are more likely to die than others? Anyone wanna take a final guess on what the arena is? Remember, Albert the alligator would feel right at home here.**

 **Thanks for sticking with me this far and I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	31. Day 1: The Bloodbath

**Okay, here it is. The Bloodbath. The start of the real Games. The big fat massacre.**  
 **Before I get into it, just a few announcements. The first one is regarding district colors. I forgot to mention it last chapter, so I'll just quickly say that District 11 tributes will be wearing brown. Creative, huh?**

 **Second, I would advise checking out MysticalPineForest's Spoils of War! It's a fairly new SYOT that expands outside of Panem and the Hunger Games universe. It's interesting and promising, so I suggest checking it out.**

 **Okay, I've been stalling long enough. Let the Hunger Games begin!**

* * *

 _Harper Winthrop, 15_  
 _District 8 Female Tribute_

* * *

Once my eyes finally adjusted to the bright sunlight, I got my first glance at the arena. Just like last year there were trees, but not as many and they seemed more spread out. Clearly, hiding in this arena was not an option.  
There was long grass everywhere. And mud...lots of it. The ground nearby didn't look so bad but further away, it seemed wet and messy.

A swamp. That was the first word coming to mind. This arena was a giant swamp. All the scenery and the clues just pointed to it.

The only thing out of place was the giant bronze Cornucopia sitting a few feet away from us. inside it mouth were crates and tables covered with wrapped food, backpacks, weapons. I swear I even saw a box with a picture of a tent on it. Other stuff was spread out around us, but it didn't look as exciting or promising. Clearly, the goal was to go for the inside, the real prizes.

The tributes had been brought up on pedestals in a semicircle around one side of the Cornucopia. I was very close to one end, with Desmond, Zander and Urijah to my right. I could see Thessaly a couple of pedestals away from me, her eyes narrowed, aiming for the rack of spears propped up against the Cornucopia.

I turned back and focused on a backpack lying a few feet away. I wasn't planning on leaving this place empty-handed.

 _60...59...58...57_

The games were about to begin.

* * *

 _Lena Evangelos, 18_  
 _District 2 Female Tribute_

* * *

I was smack in the middle. Well, Eywill and I were both in the middle. He was on my left and to my right was Willow, rocking back ad forth, trying her hardest not to cry as the numbers droned on.  
 _56...55...54...53..._

Most tribute seemed antsy and nervous. However, I felt a sense of calmness, a sense of familiarity. After all, this is what it must've been like for Erin, right? The feeling of anticipation, of knowing but not knowing what would happen next, especially once we reached Zero.  
I bowed my head. "Help me, Erin...help me make it out of this alive...help me achieve the dream we've always wanted to build-"

There was the sound of someone snickering. It was Eywill.  
"Really? Praying to a dead friend of yours is gonna help you win? And you even said she's dead because of you? Shame, shame, shame."  
I gritted my teeth. "How dare you speak of Erin like that."

Eywill just grinned. "You look funny when your face gets all red like that. All I did was simply point out a simple but true fact. What's wrong with you?"  
 _52...51...50...49...48..._  
I just glared at him. "You don't know me. You don't know us! I'm trying my best to make things right and you better respect that!"  
"Why are yelling at me?" Eywill raised his voice as well. "Do you not know who I am!?"  
 _47...46...45...44...43..._

At this point I was seeing red. I didn't care anymore. I leapt off my pedestal and towards Eywill. Something exploded behind me, but only my legs caught the brunt of it. He jumped backwards in surprise, causing another explosion to go off.  
Eywill practically disappeared before my eyes. It seemed like he fell into a void caused by the explosion and I could tell that's where I was heading as well.

Hello Erin. It's nice to see you again.

* * *

 _Adonis Rupture, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

I could still hear the countdown going off, but I just couldn't focus. All I could see was blood, covering the two empty pedestals and some of the other tributes as well. Two of us had just been standing there...and now they were gone.  
Finally, I turned my attention back to the countdown. A lot of time had already gone by.

 _35...34...33...32..._

Focus Adonis. This is your chance. This is how you can prove yourself. You have to remember the promise...remember the promise...  
I couldn't remember the promise. The deaths had me all shaken up. Sure Lena and I had never been the best of friends and we all hated Eywill with a burning passion but seeing them go so quickly...it reminded us why we were all here. Why I was here.

 _31...30...29...28...27..._

Carina was three pedestals to my left. I glanced over at her and she nodded towards all the weapons. Her message was clear. We were going in and making sure that we came out.  
 _26...25...24..23..22...21..._  
I noticed Urijah all at the far right. He licked his lips and smiled. Well, at least he was prepared to go in there. And kill if he needed to. I began to wonder if I had the guts to kill. Would I be able to actually go through with it?

 _20...19...18...17...16...15...14...13...12...11...10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1..._

This is it, Adonis.

* * *

 _Tihi Lowe, 15_  
 _District 12 Female Tribute_

* * *

A loud horn sounded off once the countdown was finished and everybody began to run. Some tributes, like Pellia and Equila headed in the opposite directions while most of us went straight for the Bloodbath.  
At first I stood on my pedestal, confused. then I saw Bolte and Willow helping each grab a heavy bag. Bolte glanced over then beckoned for me to help.

My gut was telling me to head away from all the tributes scurrying about and tussling with one another for supplies, but I couldn't just leave my allies. I began running until someone banged into me and I fell over, right next to a pack of knives.  
Knives. They seemed useful. I pulled myself up again and just as I was about the grab the pack, I noticed Carina heading in my direction.

Suddenly, I was shoved back down again and she nabbed the knives from me. I tried to get back up, but it was too late and the blade entered my stomach. She yanked it free and stabbed me again. And again.  
I was too shocked to scream, to weak to fight back. I simply lay there as blood continued to drain from my stab wounds and spilling onto the muddy ground. The only good thing, I guess, was that Carina was too distracted to see Bolte and Willow run off, tears glistening in their eyes.

Carina pulled the knife from my sticky, warm flesh. She brought it down on my forehead and suddenly, I couldn't see anything but black.  
Luckily, the pain had finally stopped coming. But this meant that I had stopped living.

* * *

 _Terran Straw, 16_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

Only a few minutes in and already the first kill of the games had been made. I was expecting Carina to try and start chasing after someone else, but she simply glanced at the bloody knife, obviously surprised by her own actions.  
I was glad that Pellia had already run off as I grabbed a loaf of bread and tucked it under my arm. I noticed a canteen nearby and picked that up too. About a foot away, there was an axe. I grabbed it with my free hand just as Desmond started running in my direction.

Fear struck me and as an act of self-defense, I threw the axe towards him. However, Desmond saw the flying weapon and ducked. He tumbled to the ground and the axe sailed over his head. It was at that moment Florina ran by with a shield and I couldn't pull myself to look away.

What have I done...  
The axe collided with Florina's head and she fell sideways. Blood seeped out and she went still almost instantly. I finally got the chance to look away but when I glanced back, she was still there and Desmond was being hoisted up from Fennel. The two of them quickly ran for the trees.

Clutching the few supplies I managed to find, I headed off in the direction I had seen Pellia go. I didn't want to stay at the Cornucopia anymore, not when I had just murdered someone there. Even if it was an accident, Florina was dead by my own hands.  
I continued to run and I didn't bother looking back.

* * *

 _Valkner Stross, 18_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

The girl from 1 had a kill. The boy from 9 had a kill. When would I get a kill? I wanted a kill.

Most tributes were starting to run off. I decided to try and go after the girl from 5 but she had a spear while I was empty-handed. it wouldn't be easy to torture her if she stuck that thing into my abdomen.  
I surveyed the scene, hoping for a good weapon to use. My eyes fell on a mace and I smiled wickedly. Oh, it would be perfect to strike victims with.  
I picked it up and slung it over my shoulder. It was heavy, but I could get used to the extra weight. I caught Zander opening up a crate and swung the mace at him.

It missed him by only a few inches, but he knew that I was there. he picked up a dagger lying beside his feet and charged. I jumped to the side and stuck the mace forward. Zander couldn't get out of the way in time and the weapon forced itself into his chest.  
For a moment, he just stood there, registering everything. Then I pulled the mace free and shoved him to the ground. His threw up his arms to protect himself but that did nothing as I continued to swing the mace, beating him from all sides.

It was only me know; everyone else was gone from the Cornucopia. the area had been picked clean and a few bloody bodies were lying everywhere, Zander included. it wasn't easy to recognize his face, but I knew it was him and a sense of pride washed over me.

This was my first kill. And I was certain it wasn't my last.

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _The Big Kids:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _A Slightly Smaller Family:_ Demara, Bolte, Everly, Willow

 _The Twins:_ Dany, Anya

 _Musical Pairs:_ Fennel, Desmond

 _Don't Worry Terran, We Still Love You:_ Terran, Pellia (separated)

 _Two Brave Women:_ Thessaly, Harper

 _On The Prowl:_ Valkner

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Equila, Caxton

* * *

Kills:

Carina: 1 (Tihi)

Valkner: 1 (Zander)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **24th place: Eywill Dye, District 8. Blown up by pedestal landmines.**

 **Eywill was not the only villain in this story, but he was certainly the most hated. A cocky, aggressive jerk with no respect for others, everyone from the readers to the tributes was perfectly fine with watching him go. His submitter even requested for him to be the first tribute killed. Heck, his name is literally pronounced "I Will Die."**

 **23rd place: Lena Evangelos, District 2. Blown up by pedestal landmines.**

 **Remember when I mentioned there was recycled tribute in this story? Well, that tribute was Lena. I have to admit, I was very disappointed to find this out because Lena was such a unique tribute and she had so much potential. Sadly it had all been wasted. She had never been my first choice for Victor and discovering she was recycled just solidified my decision to kill her off at some point. If you want to know why I chose to do this, RenderOntoCaesar, you can PM me and we'll talk about it. Are you still reading?**

 **22nd place: Tihi Lowe, District 12. Stabbed repeatedly by Carina.**

 **The first real kill of the Games. When submissions were coming in, I was sad that I had only received two Bloodbath tributes, which meant that I would have to kill off non-Bloodbaths. I took a look at the giant six-person alliance and figured that some of them were likely to die off in the Bloodbath. To me, Tihi was a little weaker than the rest of them and I chose her. I didn't hate her or anything, I could only see her going so far. Sorry bout this, I believe in nargles too, but you still have Caxton so the Games aren't yet over for you.**

 **21st place: Florina Locke, District 6. Axe to the head by Terran.**

 **Yes, I feel like a complete jerk for killing her. Florina's death was purely an accident and we all know that Terran would've nerve meant for that to have happened. I spent a lot of time debating with myself over where to place her, since she was such an adorkable child and a huge fan favorite. Sorry to have killed off two of your tributes, hollowman96, but you still Valkner so the Games aren't yet over for you.**

 **20th place: Zander Trans, District 6. Struck with a mace by Valkner.**

 **The main reason Zander was killed off so early was because I felt that he was a bit too similar to some of the other male tributes. A lot of them were meant to be sadistic, confident and sometimes bordering on arrogant. The reason why I struggled with Zander so much was because I was looking for more ways to make stand out among the other competitors. I tried to make up for this by giving him a lot of spotlight pre-Games. Sorry about this, District 9 Tribute, it was pretty much my fault. But you still have Terran, Pellia and Equila, so the Games aren't over for you.**

* * *

 **So...that was the Bloodbath. five victims, not too shabby. There wasn't a lot of dialogue, but that was because I thought it would be a bit better to focus on the action instead. But still, this felt really choppy. Do you think it was choppy?**

 **Was there a death that surprised you? Did you expect some of the tributes to get a kill or not? Did you enjoy the chapter overall? Let me know and stay tuned for everyone's first night in the arena!**


	32. Night 1: A Moment of Silence

**I've decided to write a chapter that more or less follows the Bloodbath and shows how everyone is adjusting to the recent events.**

* * *

 _District 6._

* * *

Nobody really did know what to expect. After all, their tributes hadn't survived the previous Hunger Games either.  
Still, sadness plagued the air when the cameras finally settled on Florina and Zander's still bodies. The children mourned for the loss of such a young girl and the rebels mourned for the loss of a brave man.

The hovercraft arrived very late that night and the coffins were quickly transported to the graveyard. Hot mugs and stale cookies were passed around, a service conducted. Two names were etched onto the tombstones. But no matter how long they stayed, the citizens would soon retreat to the alleyways of the city and would eventually forget, as long of the drugs kept coming.

* * *

 _Carina Pitchcoff, 17_  
 _District 1 Female Tribute_

* * *

A kill. I had gotten a kill.  
The evidence was clear. A cannon, a body, a bloodied knife. Fading adrenaline no longer coursing through my veins. I had made one of the first kills in the Games.

I didn't feel any different, however. Was a killer supposed to feel a certain way? I felt like I had done the deed...but I also didn't. Was that normal?  
Adonis and Urijah didn't really know, or they simply didn't care. One of them seemed really shaken up from the Bloodbath and the other was at the front of our little parade, kicking muddy rocks and dead twigs out of his way.

Finally we stopped. We stood in a little triangle at the base of a large tee with a twisted trunk. Everyone had on a little backpack and was holding a weapon. Urijah was wearing a belt filled with daggers. Adonis clutched a pair of spears.  
As for me, I had my knives. My bloody knives.

This Urijah noticed. "Go ahead. Rub it in our faces that you got the first kill."  
"I don't know...there's nothing really to brag about. I'll point her out to you if they play the Anthem tonight, like they did last year."

Urijah nodded. "Okay. I just want to make sure it all isn't going to your head. One measly kill isn't gonna mean a thing when I finally get in my zone here."  
"What does that mean?" Adonis asked.  
Urijah twirled a dagger in his hands, the mimicked throwing it at someone. To me, it kinda looked like he was playing darts. Only, he had gotten tired of using just a board.

Adonis leaned in. "Does he really think he'd strike someone down that easily? I mean...you'd know...it's more different than it look, right?"  
I glanced down at my knife. "I don't know...why don't you find out for yourself?"

He looked rather horrified and I burst out laughing. "Just kidding! Anyways...I'm kinda pooped. Do you think we can stop here for the night?"  
Adonis let go of his spears; they crashed against the tree and fell into the mud. "I'm okay with that."  
"Fine." Clearly, Urijah had already established himself as our leader. "But you better not be lying about that kill, Carina."

* * *

 _Caxton Beel II, 17_  
 _District 12 Male Tribute_

* * *

I hadn't thought about grabbing much from the Cornucopia. Just a small knife and a water bottle. Ah, whatever. Better than escaping with nothing, right?  
I kept walking, not really going one way, swinging my bottle to and fro. Trying to take in the scenery, noticing different patterns between the trees. It was harder to get scared by everything when you pretended that moving in the arena was just a casual nature stroll.

"Heh, that tree looks like my Dad's face-WOAH!"

I hadn't been watching where I was stepping and tripped over a stray tree root, lying in the middle of practically nowhere. I tried to spread out my arms as far as I could with my supplies in them, hoping to break my fall. Nothing helped and I tumbled headfirst down a steep muddy hill. Nearby twigs snagged at my clothes and dirt was everywhere. I kept falling and cursing as I slipped down and eventually rolled to a stop.

"A-ah...ow..."

Lying on my back, I gritted my teeth and waited for the pain to go away. Nothing felt broken; I knew from my life back in 12 and with Sane if that had happened. But I was probably bruised all over and I didn't feel like getting up and dealing with it.  
Eventually, everything felt numb and I figured I would have to get up eventually. As soon as I took a step, I almost fell over again. My feet had gone completely numb and it hurt to walk anywhere. But I hazily made my way to a nearby tree and collapsed against it. Mud splattered all over my already dirty clothes.

I sank to the ground, dropped my stuff beside me, and sighed. At first I tried to pick off any dried mud from my face, skin and jacket. It didn't seem to come off so easily and stained my fingers brown. I just gave up and let myself begin to droop. My eyes grew heavy...and heavy...and heavy...

It was when the first few notes of the Anthem began to play that I finally passed out.

* * *

 _Everly Afsaw-Pratt, 14_  
 _District 7 Female Tribute_

* * *

We chose a patch of grass that seemed a lot cleaner than the rest of its surroundings and sat down in a square. The Anthem blared and we all turned our attention to the holograms that appeared. The words "THE FALLEN" in big, block letters.

The first face was that of Lena. None of us had gotten a chance to know her well, so we just watched her appear and disappeared. Next up was Zander. Personally, I knew very little about him but he was Florina's district partner so she probably knew him a bit better.  
Speaking of Florina, she was the third face to appear. I felt a pang of sadness in my lungs and Dem just hung her head in sorrow. The silence was ruined by Eywill's picture, but that went by quickly so we could mourn Tihi.

Once again, I stayed silent. Bolte wiped a tear from his eye and Dem reached out and patted him on the back. We kept quiet as the Anthem finished, then began unpacking our supplies to see what we had.  
The only thing I grabbed from the Cornucopia was an axe. Dem had managed to find a backpack, as so had Willow and Bolte. I just watched them pull out some canteens, packs of dried fruit, a pair of socks, a coil of wire, and a can of nuts. Finally, Bolte held up a small pink package. "What's this for?"

"Don't touch that, it's for me!" I shrieked, reaching out and yanking the box from his hands. Just like I thought, it was tampons. He gave me a strange look, but Dem and Willow were more concerned.  
Willow gently placed a hand on my shoulder. "Awww. Don't worry Everly, it'll be okay."  
Dem nodded. "Yeah, we understand." I just smiled back, huggign the box closer to my chest.

Bolte was a little more aseptically. "Okay, I get she needs them, but do we do with anything left? Use it to protect ourselves from tributes or something?" I tried to keep a straight face, but at the thought of throwing tampons at another tribute, I lost it.  
It was now Dem's turn to give a strange look. "You're sitting in the middle of a swamp talking about tampons and your biggest concern is what we'll do with them when we don't need them?"

"I guess...put it that way...it's kinda funny."

* * *

 _Pellia Sheath, 12_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

I felt glad that Terran was still alive. The Anthem proved that. But, I had no clue where he was.  
I was hiding in a small smelly grove between two bigger trees. It was the only place that actually felt a bit warm. The arena wasn't cold, but there was a breeze that made me shiver, no matter how much I adjusted myself.

I curled up into a little ball, tugging on the ends of my jacket, trying to preserve as much body heat as possible. it wasn't a lot, though. The winds cut through little gaps in the branches, making it harder to keep warm.  
"Terran..." I cried softly. "...where are you..."

Thinking of Terran made me think of home and how I longed to be there! I would've given anything to be inside my warm house, curling up next to Winnow in a nice fluffy blanket, drinking a mug of something hot, smiling at my loving parents. That was how it used to be. still, I would've been fine with still going back to my drunk father, my scared sister, my passive mother. Was Winnow safe? Did Dad quit drinking long enough to watch his daughter brave the Games?

"Where is he...Terran. Please...I'm cold...I...I-i am trying to look for you...please, I need you."

The wind cut through the branches again and I shivered once more. Bud gradually, I began to grow more and more tired. Before I knew it, I had already fallen into an uncomfortable sleep.

Terran did not come that night.

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _Makeshift Careers...I guess?:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _A Sad, Mourning Family that Still Has time For Tampon Jokes:_ Demara, Bolte, Everly, Willow

 _The Twins:_ Dany, Anya

 _Musical Pairs:_ Fennel, Desmond

 _Will They Ever Meet Again?:_ Terran, Pellia (separated)

 _Two Brave Women:_ Thessaly, Harper

 _...Ow...:_ Caxton

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Valkner, Equila

* * *

Kills:

Carina: 1 (Tihi)

Valkner: 1 (Zander)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **So...that was Night 1. Nobody else is dead...yet. Also, the alliances that were not featured in the chapter I'll make sure to show next chapter.**

 **Also, I hope you liked the little piece from District 6. Every time a district loses both tributes, I'll write a quick passage that shows the aftermath back home.**

 **Let me know what you think of the chapter and the bits of arena life that we've seen so far and I'll see you all in Day 2!**


	33. Day 2: Wanderers

**Day 2 in the arena. Here we are, visiting the kids we didn't visit last time.**

* * *

 _Desmond Juetar, 13_  
 _District 10 Male Tribute_

* * *

I probably wouldn't have been too bothered by the arena if it wasn't so muddy.  
When I woke up this morning, I had mud everywhere. Sure, it was a much more welcome alternative then to be doused in my own blood, should I have been hit by that flying axe yesterday. But the problem with mud was that it was staining my bright jacket and hair, making a bigger mess to clean. And cleaning would soon become a luxury I'd be unlikely to have.

Fennel wasn't too bothered. He simply just stretched and yawned. "Rough first day, huh?"  
"It's even rougher when you almost get decapitated."  
"What was that?"  
"Nothing."

The two of us worked on gathering out tiny amount of supplies. It was simply a backpack that contained a bit of meat and some water. Not a lot but I had a feeling we'd find a way to get more food eventually.  
"What do you wanna do now?" Fennel asked, yanking a twig from his hair. "We could this way, that way, maybe hang out a bit here longer..."  
"I wanna explore. It seems like the only thing we could do anyways. maybe we'll find something new."

"Sure," Fennel slung the bag onto his shoulders and marched in a random direction. I followed after him, careful to not trip over any stray tree roots or step into a puddle. Besides our footsteps, I could hear the gentle trickle of water in the distance.  
The green of tree leaves and brown of the mud beneath made is hard to properly distinguish anything. I envied Fennel for blending into the surroundings better than I did. It was harder to search for a tribute with dark skin and a green jacket than one with an orange outfit and long blond hair.

Speaking of tributes, I thought I saw someone between a gap in the trees. However it was, they quickly ran off and I soon forgot them.

* * *

 _Equila West, 14_  
 _District 10 Female Tribute_

* * *

I stared at the bush, still trying to make up my mind on whether the berries would be edible or not. there were a lot of risks I was running here. If the berries were poisonous, then I wouldn't live to see tomorrow. If they weren't, then I could miss out on a potential food source. I had no way of knowing and I wasn't about to take a leap of faith.  
I plucked one free and turned it around in my hand. The berry was a reddish color and did look a bit appetizing. I held it up to my mouth and rubbed it against my lips. Nothing had yet to happen.

That's when I spotted a rat.  
I jumped and almost screamed. The rat just ignored me and headed for the bush. Plucking a berry off the bottom, it began to nibble on the treat, not really caring about anything else.

I watched. The rat didn't seem to be bothered by anything. That meant that these berries were safe too, right?  
I dropped one into my mouth. The berry wasn't sweet, like I was expecting. More of a tart taste. But it was food and food couldn't be wasted.

I gobbled a couple more of the berries, stuffed the leftover ones into my pockets, then headed on my way. So far, I didn't feel any different and my body wasn't trying to expel the fruit. I would be fine.  
The mud was everywhere and my boot had now been dyed a light brown. I tried scraping it off on a couple of the trees, but made very little progress. As i banged my foot against the trunk, I overheard soft footsteps and distant voices.

I quickly ducked behind the tree, just as Desmond and Fennel came into view. They only stayed for a little bit, but I was still spooked from the encounter, even if I knew Desmond wouldn't bother hurting me. In the arena, I wasn't planning on taking chances.

* * *

 _Anya Kai, 16_  
 _District 4 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Hey Anya," Dany muttered from in front of me. "What do you think Mom and Dad are doing right now?'  
"Perhaps watching us...or maybe only Dad is. You know Mom has a district to run."  
"Yeah but...I bet people will understand if she's not in office. This is a stressful time for her, having her children competing in a deathmatch...let's not think about it, okay?"

"You're the one who brought it up," I muttered, but Dany didn't hear me. He seemed more interesting with dragging a twig around in the mud with his foot.  
I adjusted the bag on the shoulder. It felt heavy but that's because Dany shoved the one sleeping bag we had inside, hoping the backpack wouldn't break. Not very smart of him but I didn't feel like lugging it around in my hands either.

We continued together, until we stopped to adjust the falling bag. As I shoved the sleeping bag back in, Foxy ran from out of nowhere and almost collided into us. Dany quickly brandished his spear and growled.  
Foxy's eyes widened. He tightened his grip on the sword he was carrying but he raised his hands in surrender. "Truce!"

"Huh?"  
"Can we call a truce? I won't harm you or anything if you guys let me go."

Dany seemed skeptical but I simply nodded. "You know what, that sounds fair. Alright, go."  
"Thank you," Foxy gave me a small smile of relief before turning and running back in the direction he came. Dany and I watched him leave.

"You know..." my brother spoke up. "...this reminds me...what happens if it comes down to the two of us?"  
A shiver ran down my spine. "I'll try not to think about it."

* * *

 _Thessaly Tudor, 18_  
 _District 5 Female Tribute_

* * *

I opened my bag and scowled. "Ugh, couldn't they have put a better food selection in here?"  
"What's wrong now?" Harper asked, clutching my spear for me.

"Well, we got some beef jerky...what kind of name is that. Never mind. There's some potatoes, which actually don't look that bad. We got a pack of raisins-"  
"What are raisins anyways? They look like my dad's fingers, just brown."  
"That's nice. And what is this-EW!"

Harper jumped back in alarm. "What? What is it?"  
I yanked the food from the bag in disgust. "These ugly things."  
Harper studied what was in my hand, then her lips curled into a small. "Are those...carrots?"

"Yes." I didn't share her level of amusement about the situation. Carrots were were mushy and gross! The most rotten vegetable ever introduced to mankind. And yes they left them here in the arena just for me. Was this a joke!?  
Harper put up a straight face, but her eyes were still twinkling in entertainment. "Don't worry about them. We'll eat them later."

"Why on Earth would you ever want to eat these...someone's coming."  
"Wait," Harper started to say, but I grabbed her wrist and yanked her back. I peeked through the gaps of the shrub I was sitting behind. Sure enough, Valkner had arrived.

Harper made a squeaking noise and I quickly covered her mouth with my hand. Valkner had yet to notice and was more interested in picking some dirt off the mace he was holding. He smirked and ran his finger along the weapon.  
The scene was making me uncomfortable. And even though Valkner quickly left, probably to go find a tribute to maul, I was still shivering a little. Harper and I shoved most of the food back into the bag and settled on some beef. Fine. Anything was fine as long as it wasn't carrots.

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _Makeshift Careers:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _The Small Family:_ Demara, Bolte, Everly, Willow

 _Just Pretty Much Happy To Be Alive:_ Fennel, Desmond

 _Don't Mess with Dany:_ Dany, Anya

 _Hurry UP Terran!:_ Terran, Pellia

 _No Carrot Zone:_ Thessaly, Harper

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Valkner, Equila, Caxton

* * *

Kills:

Carina: 1 (Tihi)

Valkner: 1 (Zander)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **So I haven't killed anyone else yet. Mainly because it would be boring if the tribute all died at once and chances are that most days will go by death-less.**

 **Also, Thessaly is now starting up her war against carrots. There's that to keep an eye out for.**

 **See you all on Day 3!**


	34. Day 3: The Drinking Gourd

**Things have been moving rather slowly in the Games and nobody has died since the Bloodbath. Time to see if it keeps up.**

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17  
District 1 Male Tribute  
_

* * *

 _"Honey...please. This is a very important meeting to us and there's a lot at stake-"_  
 _"It's just a sorrow pit for the rebels! Why bother going anyways?"_  
 _"Young man, that is no way to speak to your mother! Now apologize this instant."_  
 _"You're the ones speaking funny! You talk of the Capitol as if they're the wrong ones here!"_

I woke up with a start. My head was pounding and some of my last words to my parents echoed through my head. Despite the sky being a little lighter, it was still dark and it was hard to see anything.  
Trying to go back to sleep, the conversation resumed. That day, I argued nonstop, trying to prove my point to my parents about them being wrong about the Capitol. And how once they finally left for the rebel meeting, their base was targeted and bombed. Nobody survived. My parents never came back.

And it was all my fault.

Not able to sleep, I got up and made a small fire to keep myself warm. It was a risky move to let it burn, but I highly doubted any of the other tributes would be up at this hour. Plus, watching the flames flicker and dance was kind of comforting. At least I could take my mind off my past.  
After a few minutes, I felt a little warmer. A curious rabbit hopped by, drawn to the light of my fire. It came a little closer and I watched it for a bit. Eventually, it disappeared into the darkness and once again, I was left alone.

* * *

 _Valkner Stross, 18_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

I was up with the Sun. Today, I had traps that needed to be set up. The sooner that was taken care of, the sooner I could start catching tributes.  
Luckily, I had scoured the Cornucopia on the first day in order to find all the materials I would need. there was quite a bit. Wire, nets, and rope. Put them together and I could bring to life stellar creations that would end life.

I left my mace leaning against a tree. Most of Zander's dried blood had been picked off. It was a very handy weapon that created long, gruesome, painful deaths. The kind that the tributes here deserved. It was their fault they got Reaped and they had a horrible death coming to therm. I was known for being creepy, not merciful.

I knew hot to create a couple of traps that fatally injure or kill someone, but I was disappointed to go through my supplies again and realize I wouldn't have enough materials for them. I would have to settle for another kind of trap. One that simply left the victim dangling by their leg. It wasn't as exciting as what I had dreamed up in the Capitol, but it would have to do.

Plus, once someone was in my grasp, I didn't have to let the trap kill them. It would be more fun to draw everything out, to listen to their screams of pain, to let the blood slowly spill. It sounded heartless but I never operated off of kindness and mercy. Everything I did to my victims was done in cold blood.

I worked all day, searching for the perfect location to set things up. Occasionally, I stopped to eat or take a sip of water. I tested things over and over again by throwing clumps of mud to trigger the traps, since I didn't have my pet rat on me. But once the Sun was setting and I had run out of materials, everything was set up and worked perfectly. I gave myself a pat on the back for all of my hard work.

Now all I had left to do was wait.

* * *

 _Urijah Woodley, 18_  
 _District 11 Male Tribute_

* * *

Yet another day had gone by and I still hadn't made any kills. The only tribute we did encounter was Terran, but he soon ran away once he heard us coming, muttering to himself about where Pellia was so he could go find her.  
At this point, I was starting to get frustrated. Why couldn't I get a kill? If Carina deserved to kill someone, then I deserved to kill TWO tributes! It wasn't fair.

Speaking of Carina, she simply leaned against a tree and shrugged. "Alright Urijah, we didn't get any kills today. But I haven't heard any cannons, so there are still 16 other tributes out there. Give it time. Something will happen eventually."  
"Y-yeah," Adonis piped up. "We're all scattered all over the place. But we'll find them! I just know it."

"You're one to talk," I snapped. "You aren't even holding the spear right, let alone willing to gut somebody alive."  
"Well...I'm not gonna stab myself in the foot, okay? But I have been thinking...what if there is a reason tributes leave us alone?"

"What do you mean?" Carina asked, playing with one of her knives. She ran her hand up and down the slide of the blade and winced when she accidentally poked her finger.  
"I think everyone knows at this point we're in an alliance. We're some of the strongest tributes in the Games and Carina has even killed someone! Of course together, we stand out."  
"You mean I should just kill you now?" I smirked.

"N-no! What I'm saying is...look. How about tomorrow, we split up and all go hunting. Then, at the end of the day, we'll meet up somewhere and see if we've managed to get any kills."  
To me, that was stupid. People would fear me even when I was alone! But Carina looked as if she was actually considering the idea. "That might work...and it'll look like we split up or something. Then everyone will let their guards down."

"that's what I'm trying to go for," Adonis picked up his spear and carved three letters into the tree we were standing by. An A, a C, an a U. "We'll meet back here. But...Urijah, we don't have to go with the plan if you don't want to."  
I took a minute to think about it, wondering if there was anything I could gain or lose. "Fine. But by the end of tomorrow, there better be blood shed."

Adonis gulped, but nodded. "Okay. It's a deal then?"  
"It's a deal."

* * *

 _Fennel Rielman, 15_  
 _District 7 Male Tribute_

* * *

No deaths today. The sky was clear and no faces had yet to be seen.  
On one hand, that did feel reassuring that not everybody was dead. But on the other hand, it meant that killers were still out there. Desmond and I would now have to try extra hard to avoid them.

After a rushed dinner, we both lay against the trees and tried to fall asleep. That never came easily, considering the arena was very chilly at night. I usually had nothing against cooler temperatures but this was just silly. Couldn't the Gamemakers just give us a breeze or something and leave it at that?  
I closed my eyes and tried to rest. Beside, Desmond began to toss and turn, gradually staying in one place before moving again. Finally, there were a few minutes of silence before he spoke up.

"Fennel?"  
"Yeah?"  
"I...I can't sleep."  
"...okay."  
"No, seriously. I can't. I'm...I'm scared, Fennel. I'm scared we'll die."

I paused. I couldn't see Desmond's face in the dark but I could tell he was nervous. I didn't blame him. Who really feels comfortable in a deadly arena which a bunch of people waiting for the prefect moment to kill you?  
I had an idea. My mother always sang the song to my brother and I when we were younger and had a nightmare. Despite it now being banned for rebellious meanings, it was comforting and I had a feeling Desmond would enjoy it.

"I know what'll make you feel better. Want me to sing to you?"  
"Sure? I've never heard you sing before."  
I cleared my throat. Luckily, I still remembered all the lyrics.

 _"When the sun comes up and the first quail calls, follow the drinking gourd. For the old man is a-waiting for to carry you to freedom, follow the drinking gourd..."_  
My voice cracked halfway through, but Desmond didn't notice. Once I managed to get through the song, there was silence, almost as if he was processing it.

"That's a nice song."  
"It is. I used to sing it with my friends all the time." I rolled over onto my side and clsoed my eyes again. "Goodnight, Desmond."  
"Goodnight, Fennel."

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _Makeshift Careers:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _The Small Family:_ Demara, Bolte, Willow Tihi

 _Guess Who's Starting to Ship Them:_ Fennel, Desmond

 _The Twins:_ Dany, Anya

 _He's Trying His Best, Okay?:_ Terran, Pellia

 _Probably Still Waging A War On Carrots:_ Thessaly, Harper

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Valkner, Equila, Caxton

* * *

Kills:

Carina: 1 (Tihi)

Valkner: 1 (Zander)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Arean-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **Is it bad that I'm starting to ship Fennel and Desmond? because I really do. Okay, maybe it's only platonic, like they'd be really good friends outside of the arena.  
But still, they need a ship name. Let's call it Desnel. Who here likes Desnel?**

 **As for the song Fennel sings, it's called "Follow the Drinking Gourd". It was used by escaped African slaves as a guiding point to freedom. I imagined that Panem would ban the song and accuse it of rebel ties. I've had to sing it for music class a few times and personally, I think it's a really nice song.**

 **Aside from that, we get to see a plan forming between Carina, Adonis and Urijah, as well as what Valkner is up to. Hopefully, nobody falls into his traps...**

 **See you all on Day 4!**


	35. Day 4: Disturbing the Peace

**Welcome back to Day 4! I know that the Games have been moving rather slowly lately. However, I think that an earlier Games would not have as much action and in my story, the 1st Games, Sliver's Games, had lasted three weeks. While these won't last as long, I hope nobody minds having a longer Games.**

 **Anyways, onto the action!**

* * *

 _Desmond Juetar, 13_  
 _District 10 Male Tribute_

* * *

Fennel and I got up early. We had spent yesterday searching for a water source and hopefully, we'd find it today. The sky began to gradually grow lighter and except for the sound of flowing water, the arena was silent. I didn't mind. No noises were good noises.  
Fennel stopped walking and cocked his head to the side. "Hold on, I hear it. No, I see it too. We're right here!"  
He was right. A few steps further revealed a hidden lake. The water was a mixture of sky blue and murky green. Floating at the edge was a wooden boat, with two paddles sticking out from inside. While the lake wasn't that big, the boat would serve as a good way to get across.

Fennel's eyes lit up. "A canoe!"  
"A what?"  
"You seriously don't know what a canoe is? It's a boat. I've never seen a real one, but my brother owns a wood carving of it. Come on, I wanna take a closer look."

We headed towards the canoe. Fennel reached inside and pulled out a paddle. He stood firmly and extended a hand. I grabbed onto it and stepped inside. The canoe tipped a bit due to my weight, but stood up again. I finally sat down and before Fennel could crawl in, a dagger sailed from out of nowhere and landed into the water.

Standing a few feet away was Urijah. He smirked and broke into a run.  
Fennel tightened his grip on the paddle. "Duck," he whispered to me. "I'll hold him off."  
I curled up in the bottom of the canoe and placed my hands over my head. When I looked up, Fennel swung the paddle and hit Urijah in the face. He yelped in pain and placed his hand to his nose. When he drew it back, blood stained his palm.

"Oh, you are so going to pay for that."  
I ducked again as Urijah knocked the paddle to the side and grabbed Fennel. The younger boy began to squirm and kicked Urijah and the shin, sending them both tumbling over. Despite being underneath Fennel, Urijah still had the upper hand and managed to pull another dagger free. He held it up to the sky.  
"This is for my nose," he smirked. I closed my eyes as he brought the dagger down into Fennel's head.

Next thing I knew, the canoe had been kicked over. I fell into the water with a splash, the canoe on top of me. I was trying my hardest not to panic as I pulled myself out from underneath. By the time I resurfaced, the cannon had already sounded.

* * *

 _Pellia Sheath, 12_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

The peace period was over. A cannon woke me up this morning. I gasped and began to hope it wasn't Terran.  
Where was he? Four days in the arena and I hadn't seen him at all. I didn't want to be left alone, not when someone else was now dead.

"Terran? Where are you? Are you alive?"  
There was no response. I hadn't been expecting one. Clumsily, I stood up and my stomach growled. I was so hungry. I had spent yesterday searching for Terran and food. I had been drinking from little streams of water running though the trees. I did find some edible berries, but they were long gone and weren't very filling.

Finding my ally was crucial now. He had visited the Cornucopia, so I knew that he did have something. Hopefully, that something was food. I began a slow trek in a random direction, hoping for the best. I tried to avoid any sounds I heard, in case they happened to kill me.

When the Sun was high up in the sky, I stopped to catch my breath. Still no sign of Terran. No, stop Pellia. He is out there. You can't lose hope now. You just have keep searching-  
A loud rustle could been heard in a nearby bush, followed by heavy footsteps. The noise had caught me off guard and the scream erupted from my mouth before I knew it.

"PELLIA!"  
I knew that voice.  
"Terran!"

We both ran into each other's arms. I never knew that I'd miss Terran's hugs so much. He let out a noise that sounded like a mix of joy and relief, but I couldn't tell for sure. Finally, we let go.  
"I was so scared for you Pellia. I was afraid that you were the one dead!"  
"I was afraid YOU were dead! But you're not...and I'm so glad to have found you!"

I hugged Terran a second time as he showed me the supplies he got. The canteen he had was already half empty and a few pieces of bread had been ripped off but I still made myself a little meal and shoved the whole thing into my mouth. Food never tasted so good.

* * *

 _Adonis Rupture, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

What a day. What a lovely, lovely day, Too bad I didn't find any tributes, though.  
I couldn't help but wonder...what would happen if I got the chance to kill someone? Would I be bale to go through with it? Or would I fail and get ridiculed by Urijah?

I was the first to arrive back at our meeting spot. Judging by the position of the Sun, it was probably late afternoon. I did still have a bit of time to continue hunting, but it was pointless if I wasn't gonna find anyone. instead, I settled down and made myself a meal out of beef strips.

As the sky was streaked with the different colors of the sunset, which I thought looked beautiful, Carina appeared on the scene. She was holding a knife in her sweaty hands and looked rather grouchy. "Rats. Couldn't find anyone."  
"Join the club," I muttered.  
"Ah well, there was one cannon today. We can always go hunting tomorrow."

I offered Carina some beef and we continued munching as we waited for Urijah. Finally, he strolled over with a huge grin on his face. "Guess who just got a kill."  
Carina rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Big deal. Been there, done that."  
"No, seriously. Don't believe me? Wait for the anthem."

We did. Sure enough, Fennel's face appeared in the sky, shining above us all.  
Carina look surprised. "So...you killed him?"  
"Yep. Damn idiot gave me a bloody nose, though. Oh well, it'll heal."

As Urijah continued to brag, I felt a pang of jealousy. How come he got a kill so quickly and I didn't? Plus, why did the kill make him think eh was so special? Carina simply rolled her eyes and began packing up.  
I tried to shake the feelings away as I followed her example. Whatever Urijah did was none of my concern.

* * *

 _Equila West, 14_  
 _District 10 Female Tribute_

* * *

Once the Anthem was over, I began to settle down. Instead of sleeping in a tree like I did in the past few nights, I opted for a bush. It was a risky move, but if I hid myself well enough, nobody would think of looking for me.  
I tossed and turned a little, looking for a comfortable position. The bush had a lot of twigs and stray leaves, making it less desirable than a tree. Finally, just when I had settled, I heard footsteps nearby. there was a squelching sound that followed each one. I peered through the mass of leaves to get a better look.

It was Desmond. he looked rather soggy, as if he had fallen into some water. I could barely make out some tear stains on his face. Obviously, the day had not been going well for him. I was trying to avoid as many tributes as possible, but my mind drifted back to Desmond's goofy crush and his awkward but nice compliments in the Capitol. Now would be time to return the favor.

"Hey,"  
Desmond stopped walking.  
"Hey, it's me. Equila. Are you okay?"  
His eyes glanced in my direction; I couldn't' tell if he saw me. "No. Fennel's dead. I'm all alone."

I crawled out of the bush so eh could see me better. "Sorry to hear that. I understand he was your ally."  
"Yeah, he was...can I stay with you?"  
"I wasn't planning on-"

"No!" Desmond quickly responded. "It's only for tonight. I'll leave you alone tomorrow, okay? I just...I just don't wanna be alone."  
I gave it some thought. Then I nodded my head. "Fine, but only for tonight. You got it?"  
"Oh, thank you. Thank you."

He wiped some tears from his face, then crawled into the bush with me. The dampness of his clothes didn't help my situation at all, but it wasn't too bad. I was able to ignore it as I drifted off.

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _Makeshift Careers:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _The Small Family:_ Demara, Bolte, Everly, Willow

 _The Twins:_ Dany, Anya

 _Together at Last:_ Terran, Pellia

 _Probably Still Waging a War on Carrots:_ Thessaly, Harper

 _Save Haven:_ Desmond, Equila

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Valkner, Caxton

* * *

Kills:

Carina: 1 (Tihi)

Valkner: 1 (Zander)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 1 (Fennel)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **19th place: Fennel Rielman, District 7. Dagger to the head by Urijah.**

 **Fennel was my own tribute, so he was bound to go at some point. I created him when I was worried I wouldn't fill up all the male spots and made sure that he'd die earlier on. Then people took a liking to him, which did throw a bit of a wrench in my plan. Developing his relationship with Desmond was fun and I'm glad that the readers enjoyed the short time he was alive. It is bittersweet killing off your own tribute and I know that I will miss Fennel.**

* * *

 **So that was Day 4. We're getting right back into action and the chapters are growing longer. Some alliances are starting to break apart, especially as tributes begin to fall. Hope you guys enjoyed this and see you on Day 5!**


	36. Day 5: Falling Apart

**Okay, just to clear a few things up here. Desmond and Equila's alliance was temporary. It was only for the night and they both went their separate ways the next morning.**

 **I know that some tributes haven't been featured in a while, but that's because I usually only choose groups of tributes who have an event related to the main action of the chapter. I'll still try to keep everything as even as possible. Today, we'll be back to visiting tributes we didn't see last time.**

* * *

 _Bolte Seymour, 13_  
 _District 5 Male Tribute_

* * *

I woke up much earlier than everyone else. It was dark, but the Sun had just started to come up. The girls were still snoozing away. Willow was supposed to be keeping watch at this time but I guess she fell asleep doing so.  
I used the pair of crutches that had been given to me in the arena and hobbled over to a tree. It was further away from my alliance so I wouldn't wake them up. I leaned the crutches against the tree trunk and did my business. Once I was finished, I took the canteen I brought with me and poured a little water onto my hands. I dried them with a leaf and picked up my crutches again.

The leaves rustled. The ground squelched under somebody's boots. I heard him first but when I turned around to see him, he slashed his sword through midair, cutting at my good leg. I wasn't able to stand and fell over.  
Tears formed in the corner of my eyes. What just happened? Was this it? Was I gonna die?

"What the...oh my goodness! I am so sorry!"  
I recognized that voice, barely. If I recalled properly, it was Foxy. He was standing over me, his eyes full of genuine worry. "I thought...I thought you were a bear or something...oh no...what have I done..."  
"If you..." I whimpered. "If you...can you make sure it won't hurt?"

Foxy stared me over, then nodded. I wasn't in any condition to get healed. The cut was too deep and blood was now gushing out. Hopefully, whatever he did to me, it wouldn't be too painful. I watched as Foxy knelt down and held up the sword. "Alright, I'll try to make it quick. Stay still, okay?"

I nodded. I felt the blade across my neck. Then I felt nothing.

BOOM!

* * *

 _Harper Winthrop, 15_  
 _District 8 Female Tribute_

* * *

I opened my eyes to Thessaly shaking me awake. "Come on, get up. We need to get moving."  
"Hello, good morning, how are you, did you sleep well," I muttered. "Could've said any of those. What's the big deal anyways?"  
Thessaly grabbed our supplies. "There was another cannon this morning. I'm not taking any chances. Grab my spear and don't worry about food. We'll eat later."

I picked up the spear and followed Thessaly. 5 cannons on Day 1. One yesterday. And another one today. 7 tributes, dead and gone. 17 left. And we're only on Day 5. At least we were moving faster than it last year's Games.  
As soon as I thought that, I instantly hated myself for doing so. The Games were not about getting them over with as fast as possible! It was death! And I wasn't in the mood to think about death.

I kicked at fallen twigs and leaves and clumps of mud. Some of it splattered on the back of Thessaly's boots, but she just ignored me. We eventually stopped and shared the pack of beef jerky. It tasted a lot better than I thought it would, despite the name.

Thessaly began reorganizing everything in the bag. "We're starting to run low on food. i don't know what's around here but we better find something."  
"Actually, we still got potatoes left. And carrots."  
"I am not touching those carrots. They're gonna be the death of me!"

A series of loud screams suddenly erupted through the arena, followed shortly by another cannon. After a while, everything went silent.

"Well," I said plainly. "You got some funny timing."

* * *

 _Demara "Dem" Filenfire, 15_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

Something had been off ever since I woke up. We made ourselves a quick breakfast, then went on our way. But the alliance felt incomplete. And that probably was because I hadn't seen Bolte at all today.  
"Where is he?" I complained. "He couldn't have just walked off. He can't walk!"

Beside me, Willow sighed. "Didn't you hear the cannon this morning? That must've been him. Sorry Dem, but I think he's dead." Everly, who was bringing up the rear, nodded as well.  
I felt my heart droop in my chest. How could we lose our numbers so quickly? It hadn't even been a week and we were already half of what we started out as. I couldn't stop thinking about this as we trudged on in silence.

Willow noticed my sad expression. "Cheer up. You still got Everly and I. We're your friends, right?"  
"Yeah, that's true. You've stuck with me for this long." I managed a small smile. "And don't worry guys, whatever this arena throws at us, we'll face together, right Everly? Um...Everly...?"  
Willow stopped walking and turned around. All of a sudden, she let out a scream.

Everly's body lay still on the ground. Her upper torso was drenched in blood. Her axe had been painted red as well. Her eyes had rolled up in the back of her head, which had been chopped of the rest of her corpse and was being clutched by-

"Valkner!" I yelped. "Run!"  
The cannon fired as Valkner picked up the axe he used to kill Everly and chased after us. My head began to pound as Willow and I dodged him and tried to speed up. Once we managed to get a good lead, I noticed a muddy ditch and knocked Willow into it before throwing myself on top of her. Valkner ran right by and didn't notice a thing.

For a while, I lay in silence, wondering if he would come back. Then the tears came.

* * *

 _Caxton Beel II, 17_  
 _District 12 Male Tribute_

* * *

I had yet to see any tributes so far, which I was kinda disappointed about. Not that I wanted them to kill me or anything, but I was hoping I'd get the chance to best somebody in a fight. My skills would've been helpful here but now I wasn't getting a chance to use them.

The Sun was starting to set and I quickened my pace, looking for a good place to settle before it got too dark. I hadn't been in this part of the arena before and nothing looked familiar. I ended up stepping on what felt like a very thing and bendy circular twig. Or, a wire.  
"Huh? Wait a sec...that is a wire-"

Something clicked and the wire tightened around my foot. I was yanked up into the air and was soon left hanging upside down.  
"Dammit..." I groaned and pulled my knife out of my pocket. But the wire was thicker than I thought and despite how hard I tried to cut at it, nothing worked. Finally, the blade slipped from my hands and fell into the mud.

"Well, well, well. Look at what we have here."  
A chill ran down my spine. Valkner was just a few feet in front of me, a bloodied axe swung over his shoulder. His lips curled into a sadistic smile. "Our first catch of the day. And such a fighter as well. My, this will be fun."

"H-hey, if you just let me go now, you'll make this easier on both of us! I don't have much, but I have a knife. You want a knife? If you let me go I-I'll give you the knife."  
Valkner shook his head. "You drive a hard bargain, 12. But you fell into my trap; you're my prisoner now. And I do whatever I want to my prisoners."

He yanked the knife free from the ground and drove into my leg. Hard. As he pulled it free, I resisted the urge not to scream in pain.

This was gonna be one long night.

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _Makeshift Careers:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _What the Heck Happened:_ Demara, Willow

 _The Twins:_ Dany, Anya

 _District 9:_ Terran, Pellia

 _Insert Carrot Joke Here:_ Thessaly, Harper

 _#Save12:_ Valkner, Caxton

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Desmond, Equila

* * *

Kills:

Foxy: 1 (Bolte)

Carina: 1 (Tihi)

Valkner: 2 (Zander, Everly)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 1 (Fennel)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **18th place:Bolte Seymour, District 5. Throat slit by Foxy.  
**

 **When I was still in the process of getting submissions, only two were Bloodbaths: Eywill and Bolte. When I reread Bolte's form, I thought it was unfair he would die first just because he couldn't walk properly. So I gave him crutches and let him survive the Bloodbath. He was nice kid who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and 18th is better than his predicted placement of 22nd. Thank you bookiworm04 for Bolte and you still have Urijah, so the Games aren't yet over for you.**

 **17th place. Everly Afsaw-Pratt, District 7. Decapitated by Valkner.**

 **Everly was such a sweet cinnamon roll of a girl who never deserved the fate I just gave her. She never stood out to much in her alliance, but never completely faded into the background either. But I thought that such a gruesome death would be a good way to show Valkner's true power and intentions and well...I happened to pick her. Thank you for Everly, MessyModgePodge and you still have Thessaly, so the Games aren't yet over for you.**

* * *

 **This chapter was a bit tougher for me to write, but I hope you guys still liked it. Looks like Caxton's in trouble and Valkner's starting to become a little more vicious. Also, we don't have a happy family anymore, just a pair of sad allies :(**

 **See you all on Day 6!**


	37. Day 6: Echoes

**Sorry for a bit of a wait. I was doing yet another weekend of camping. But here is Day 6!**

* * *

 _District 7_

* * *

Nobody was really expecting either tribute to survive, but Fennel and Everly's deaths were considered horribly tragic. Still nothing but young children in everyone's minds, the humorous boy and quiet girl were flowers plucked too soon.

Everly's parents decided to pool their money together and cover the cost of the double funeral. Many people attended to say goodbye, along with Fennel's good friends The Lumberjacks. When their tenor member was lowered six feet under, they performed such a beautiful cover of a traditional mourning song that brought tears to many people's eyes.

* * *

 _Carina Pitchcoff, 17_  
 _District 1 Female Tribute_

* * *

I was worried that Urijah would grow grumpy again, since yesterday went by without seeing yet another tribute. But he didn't seem to mind. One kill was enough to hold him down for a few days, or at least until we killed someone else.  
I already had done my part. That just left Adonis. He was the only member of our little trio who had yet to strike someone with his spears. He almost seemed nervous to be holding such a weapon.

The morning had gone by very slowly. We wandered about, keeping a constant formation. Urijah was always in the front, Adonis in the back. At one point, we stopped and Adonis announced that he was going to the bathroom. He ducked behind a nearby tree and we let him do his thing.

"Wimp," Urijah muttered, once our ally was our of earshot.  
"Who, Adonis?"  
"Um, yes. Notice how he seems nervous to talk to me? Plus, he hasn't killed anyone."

"You're a scary guy," I pointed out. "And it's not like everyone just happens to be nearby anyways. That's why we're looking for them. Give him time and I'll bet he'll prove himself."  
"It's been days. If he was a coward then, he's probably still a coward now. I made such a mistake letting him join us."  
"Fine!" I groaned. "Have it your way. But we still need the numbers. Wait a few days, see if anybody else drops. If things aren't looking up-"

"What do we do?" Urijah ran a finger across one of his daggers.  
"We kill him."

Adonis chose that moment to appear. "Is everything okay?"  
"Everything is just all fine and dandy," Urijah muttered, before storming off. We followed after him. The silence loomed over all of our heads.

"You didn't hear a word of that, did you?" I asked Adonis.  
"Not a single thing," he replied.

He was lying. I could tell.

* * *

 _Dany Kai, 16_  
 _District 4 Male Tribute_

* * *

What luck that we managed to find a squirrel today! I took it down with my spear and found a small pond nearby to clean the animal. Anya was a bit nervous that the pond contained germs or diseases but after I drank some of the water, she agreed to help start a fire to cook the squirrel over.

I poked a stick through the meat and started to turn it slowly over the flames. Anya watched me. "I wish we had some seaweed to garnish it with. It would just...it would just remind me of home."  
I nodded. "Well, day by day...we're getting closer. Not that it's bad everyone else is dead, but...you know what I mean."

Anya sighed. "Yeah. Well, at least we're not completely lone. We still have each other." She nestled her head on my shoulder.  
I smiled sadly. It was nice to have a familiar face in the arena, but that wasn't exactly a positive thing. However, I did not want to think about it that way. Anya was my twin sister. She had stuck with me for the past 16 years of our lives and the Games were not to separate us now.

"Lunch is ready!"  
It wasn't easy to divide the squirrel among the two of us, but I did my best. It had a rather interesting taste, reminding me of the chicken or pork we sometimes ate back home. Meat was not a common product in 4.  
But it was food. And I was never one to pass up something to eat.  
Anya seemed surprised at the smell first, but she gradually dug in and was also surprised by the unique flavor. We both wiped our greasy mouths with our jacket sleeves afterwards, then put the dying fire out.

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

I spent the day trying to clear my mind. But no matter what, Bolte's pained face as I slit his throat still haunted me.  
I couldn't quite figure out why I felt so bad about it. After all, it wasn't like I was the only person in history to have killed someone. He wanted me to anyways. He needed to be put out of his misery. That's what I had done.

So why did I feel so strange about it?

I sat down and scraped some mud off my boot with a stick. The cannon just barely echoed in my ears, an exact copy of the ones ringing around the arena in the past few days. I began to wonder how I had done it. Sure it had been an accident at first, but I had gone through with the procedure and ended a boy's life.

But that's what it was all about, right? The Hunger Games were about killing. The Capitol created it for a reason-  
Suddenly, my thoughts shifted to the Capitol. They were the rulers, the kings and queens of Panem. But they were also the reason I was here, fearing for my life. Which side did the Capitol really belong to? More importantly, which side did I belong to?

It hurt my head to suddenly start thinking of all of this now. I decided to stop and focus on my survival; worrying about where my loyalties lay would come later.  
Once I managed to clean off my boot as best as I could, I stood up and began to look for some water. I eventually found a trickling stream and scooped up a small handful of the cool, refreshing liquid. After sipping it carefully, I slurped up two more handfuls then went on my way.

* * *

 _Valkner Stross, 18_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

The day had gone by much more quickly then I thought, Well, people always said time flew when you were having fun. And I most certainly was.

Caxton had yet to escape, still dangling about from my trap. He looked tired, as if easy he hadn't rested well all day. I spent most of my time hunting, before coming back to my camp and prey.  
I felt my lips curl into a cold smile as I pulled out a block of cheese. Caxton watched me enviously. He hadn't eaten since yesterday, but I was keeping the food for myself.

Caxton let out an annoying groan. "Please, could I just have something to eat?"  
I just chuckled. "Food's for me. I need it."  
"Y-you mean...you're just gonna let me starve!?"

Why not? Starving was a much different kind or torture. It took longer, but the pleas were hilarious. They would lose all their strength and whine and cry, for me to end their suffering, for me to show compassion. How unfortunate.  
Caxton was a different story. He just wriggled to and from trying desperately to loosen the grip around his ankle. "What...what the heck is wrong with you? Like watching people die or something?"

He obviously was just saying this to get on my nerves, but the words set loose a memory. A chain of them. Memories of laughing schoolchildren, harsh bullies, many nights in the basements, listening to the screams, cold endless cackling...  
I curled my hand into a fist and punched. My knuckles collided with the right side of Caxton's face and he let out a yelp. "What was that for!?"

"H-how dare you! How dare you insult me! You don't know who I am, you know nothing! Don't try and pretend I'm the one at blame here, barbecue I'm not. It...it-s THEIR fault! They treated me like crap, like I was never good enough and look where they are now! Listen you idiot, you better keep that mouth shut or I guarantee I'll make you regret it!"

My words echoed through the arena. Caxton just stared at me with wide eyes. I waited for my heart to calm down. But I couldn't. My past was fogging up my head, preventing me from thinking straight. All I could see was red. I needed to let my anger loose before things got worse.

Luckily, I had Caxton. His tortured screams filled the night air.

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _Makeshift Careers:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _Do They Still Count as a Happy Family?:_ Demara, Willow

 _The Twins:_ Dany, Ayna

 _District 9:_ Terran, Pellia

 _Running Out of Carrot Jokes:_ Thessaly, Harper

 _HELP:_ Valkner, Caxton

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Desmond, Equila

* * *

Kills:

Foxy: 1 (Bolte)

Carina: 1 (Tihi)

Valkner: 2 (Zander, Everly)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 1 (Fennel)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **So, nobody's dead yet. But it's clear that the pressure of the arena is catching up to a lot of people.**

 **The Makeshift Careers are starting to choose sides and Valkner's mental state is also dwindling a bit. Also, Caxton isn't doing much better either.**

 **Rather peaceful day, but in the arena, things can change. See you all on Day 7!**


	38. Day 7: To the Rescue!

**Here we go, Day 7. It's been exactly one week since the tributes were first dropped off in the arena...let's see what kind of effects that will have on them.**

* * *

 _Harper Winthrop, 15_  
 _District 8 Female Tribute_

* * *

Things hadn't been the best between Thessaly and I. We were having a few more arguments than usual. While it was clear we weren't gonna be the best of friends, I wasn't ready to break apart the alliance just yet. I had to admit, having an ally made me feel a little more safer.

I could tell our day would be off to a bad start when we heard screaming. I couldn't quite place the voice, but the sound was horrible. Even Thessaly was surprised, but she gripped her spear and steadily crept towards the shouts. I followed after her.  
What we saw was probably one of the worst sights ever. A mauled, bloodied, tired Caxton, hanging next to Valkner, who just chuckled and reached for his mace, covered in Caxton's blood.

"I may not like either of them, but this is just nuts," Thessaly hissed. "We better do something."  
"Do what?" I asked in a low voice. "You want me to kill them? I can't. And if Valkner sees us, we're dead meat."  
"Well..." Thessaly was lost in thought for a few seconds. "...okay, I have a plan."

"What is it?" I was all ears. Caxton had started screaming in pain again and I really wanted it to stop. "What do we do?"  
"You need to distract Valkner for me. I don't care how. I'm sure you'll find a way. Direct his attention from Caxton onto you. In the meantime, I'll cut the poor guy free and then we escape. Everything will be fine. Caxton will just die off of injuries anyways. Better for him."

It sounded mean to rescue someone just to let them die, but Thessaly was right. Better to let Caxton have a final moment of peace then to leave him in Valkner's cruel clutches. I took a deep breath then confidentially stored over.  
Valkner seemed surprised, but managed to cover it up. "Oh, look what we have here. Fresh meat."  
"Can it buddy. I'm not here to hurt you or anything, but cut Caxton down. Now." My voice was firm, but I was a little nervous.

"Oh, silly tribute. I don't think you understand how it works with me. I'll only let him down when he's dead."  
"Dead.." Caxton muttered, in a mid-conscious state. "Dead...it's better to be dead..." It was clear he couldn't understand what was happening or what Valkner would do to him next.  
"Don't you understand? You're hurting him! This...this is horrible! Evil! How could you be so cruel to another human being!?"

"Cruel?" Valkner's grin was unlike any other I had seen before. "Oh, I'll show you cruel."  
With that, he shot his hand out and his cold fingers wrapped around my throat.

* * *

 _Valkner Stross, 18_  
 _District 3 Male Tribute_

* * *

The 8 girl squealed in horror as I tightened my grip. She stumbled backwards and tumbled over; I jumped on top of her. I tightened my grip on her as I reached for my axe. It was lying in the mud and it didn't much effort to pick up with my free hand.  
"Stop squirming," I sneered. "It will only hurt more if you keep moving."

"You...you let me go...right NOW-"  
Her cries were silenced when I brought the axe blade down on her neck. It took a second try before she finally went still and a cannon sounded.  
BOOM!  
Caxton had gotten a good view of the whole scene. He let out a shriek of terror and starting thrashing around, hoping to break free as fast as possible. He now had a good idea of what his near future would contain.

"Where are you going?" I chuckled. "I'm not done with you just yet."  
"Too bad," someone replied, a completely new person. They sounded like they were behind me. "Because I think you've done enough."

I spun around. The girl from 5 shot her hand forward and her spear was sent through my body. A bloody, gory mess. She yanked it free and my legs felt weak, forcing me to fall over.  
All I could do was lie on the muddy ground, turning red as blood continued to trickle from my body. I could hear her managing to get Caxton down from my trap. Great. Now I'd never get to finish him off.

I slowly drew my hand to my mouth and spit the thick blood into the palms of my hands, then watched as it dripped. It felt as if I was not myself, but one of those many boys I spent day and night torturing. This was what their breaking point might've felt like.

I may have not finished off Caxton, but it was interesting to see myself get finished off instead.  
BOOM!

* * *

 _Caxton Beel II, 17_  
 _District 12 Male Tribute_

* * *

Where was I?  
I wasn't hanging upside down anymore. I was lying against a tree. Someone blurry was sitting nearby, holding a spear.  
"H-hello?"

My voice was terrible. My throat felt as if it was one fire. All that screaming, all that pain that Valkner had caused me.  
Was I dead? I hoped I was. Even if survival was the more desired alternative, I didn't want to see the light of day again if it meant facing Valkner's wrath. Perhaps this girl...she was my guardian angel? Was she dead too?

"Huh. You're actually not dead."  
"You mean...I'm still alive?"  
The girl shrugged. She obviously wasn't in the mood to talk. "Yeah. Be glad. I just lost an ally, all because we were saving your butt."

So I wasn't dead. Still in the arena. Still surrounded by tributes who wanted nothing to do with me.  
"Cut me some slack. I've been tortured beaten, starved and pretty much ruined. Al because of him. But...why did you care?"

Silence. The girl finally looked me in the eye. "I didn't have to save you. I could've let you die. You would've anyway. But...that guy was a monster and...I don't know, it seemed wrong to just let him keep torturing someone. I may not be the best person to hang out with, but even my kind are against that."  
"Oh. I'm Caxton, if you didn't know."  
"Thessaly."

I just leaned back, careful not to bump my head. "Uh...thanks Thessaly, I guess. You know, I'll just be on my way now. Don't worry, I'm fine. Just let me get up...OW! My leg! On second thought...I think I'll stay here for now."  
"Good idea."

* * *

 _Willow Harper, 15_  
 _District 11 Female Tribute_

* * *

"Who do you think died today?" Dem asked me as we gnawed on some wildflowers I found. It tasted rather bland, but food was food and I was hungry.  
"I don't know," she shrugged. Despite the fallout of our alliance, Dem was still trying to keep the smile on her face. I didn't mind. I needed something to help lift my spirits.

As the Sun began to set, we curled up next to each other. The arena got really chilly at night and sharing body heat helped keep us from freezing away. I rested my head on Dem's shoulder as we watched the Anthem light up the night sky.

The first face was Valkner's. Dem gasped and I turned to look at her. "Are you okay?"  
"Huh? Yeah. I'm fine. I just..." She stopped. "I don't know. It just hurts to see the face of someone I kinda know. It means they're dead."  
It was probably a district partner thing. I didn't give it much thought as the next face was Harper's. Neither of us knew much about her, but she seemed like a nice girl.

Once the Anthem was over, Dem quickly counted everything down on her fingers. "Fourteen."  
"What was that?"  
"Fourteen of us are left. At least I think so. It's been a while."

Wow. I guessed the numbers did drop a bit faster than I thought. I could still remember being back in the Capitol, where everyone was still alive. Where our alliance was a happy six-person family that hadn't dropped down to a third of its original members.

Dem put a hand on my shoulder. "You can go rest. I'll take first watch."  
"No, I'll do it. I always fall asleep when I do second watch anyways."  
"If you insist."

Dem lay down beside me and I made myself comfortable. Within seconds, she was fast asleep.

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _Makeshift Careers:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _We're Fine...We Guess:_ Demara, Willow

 _The Twins:_ Dany, Anya

 _District 9:_ Terran, Pellia

 _Well...This is Award:_ Thessaly, Caxton

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Desmond, Equila

* * *

Kills:

Foxy: 1 (Bolte)

Carina: 1 (Tihi)

Valkner: 3 (Zander, Everly, Harper)

Thessaly: 1 (Valkner)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 1 (Fennel)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **16th place: Harper Winthrop, District 8. Throat sliced by Valkner.**

 **Harper was as stubborn as she was kind. With her refusal to take life instead of giving it, it was obvious that soon, someone like Thessaly could use that to her advantage. Not that I didn't enjoy Harper. She was much different from the typical "good-willed" 8 girl and had a bit of spunk to her. Thanks for Harper, Tribute00, and you still have Carina and Dem, so the Games aren't yet over for you.**

 **15th place: Valkner Stross, District 3. Speared in the stomach by Thessaly.**

 **Whether he was seen as the misguided, bullied kid or a cruel sadistic killing machine, Valkner never had good intentions. He was always on the prowl and could never be satisfied with just one victim. However, even though he's no longer a tribute in the arena, he's certainly made his mark and caused havoc, forever affecting Caxton and Thessaly. Thank you hollowman96, for such a wonderful villain done right, as well as your other amazing tributes. They added some awesome qualities to the story.**

* * *

 **Basically, if you're confused why Thessaly and Harper were willing to rescue Caxton, they just happened to stumble upon him. Harper is obviously against killing or torture of any kind and rebels who were captured in the rebellion were either killed or tortured for information. This is why Thessaly was against it, as it reminded her of the torturing of her own kind.**

 **Bit of an interesting chapter here, now that the biggest villain is dead. But that doesn't mean we'll be short on action! See you all on Day 8!**


	39. Day 8: Albert Attacks

**Here we are on Day 8! And I just realized...it's now been over 6 months since I published Rebellious Fate! Yay!**

* * *

 _District 8_

* * *

Surprisingly, many people in the district took the deaths of Eywill and Harper better than expected. Eywill's parents mourned for a bit, but then chose to raise his younger brother, Hewil, with more affection and discipline. Hewil would grow up and gain a reputation as a kind gentleman.

As for Harper's family, they missed her kindness and determination to do the right thing. The night after her funeral, the orphan kids she always helped out woke up to see a wheelbarrow of clothes sitting in their alley. The note said it was one last gift from Harper in the heavens.

* * *

 _Taurus Blackman, 34_  
 _Head Gamemaker_

* * *

So far, things were going well. A little over a week and only fourteen tributes left. At least the process had gone faster than last year's Games had, where it took forever for them to end.  
But still, I was impressed. The tension and falling apart of alliances, as well as the drama between Valkner and Caxton had really drawn many viewers in.

I should have known it was too good to be true.

I had stepped out of the room for only a few minutes, just to get some more coffee for the crew. When I came back, everyone seemed worried. "What happened?"  
One of the assistants beckoned me over. "It says here that Capitol viewership dropped by 10% after Valkner died!"

A loss of viewership meant that the Games weren't interesting enough. Sterling had warned me about this. If nothing really exciting happened with the tributes for a while, the rebels could get too brave. And I wasn't risking it.  
"Really? That many people liked him? I guess an idea loves their crazy."  
"How do you think you were chosen for Head Gamemaker?"  
"...good point."

I set up the system on my computer. The design had been completed last night and everything was ready to go. Next, I tapped on the microphone to ensure it was working. Then I leaned over it.

 _"Attention tributes! Head Gamemaker Taurus Blackman here! First of all, I'd like to say good job for surviving a week in the arena! Now, I have a special surprise for you all..."_  
I paused to let my words sink it.  
 _"For exactly one hour, a muttation, or mutt for short, will be released in the arena. If you're unlucky, you might come in contact with it! Survive this mutt's fierce jaws...or else. Now, introducing...Albert Junior!"_

The button was pressed and the image of an alligator in my screen disappeared. Everyone started talking excitedly, with the exception of the original Albert, who just seemed annoyed that we were interrupting his precious sleep.  
Huh, he's cute for an alligator. Would make a pretty cool pet too. Now if I could just convince my wife to let me keep him.

* * *

 _Caxton Beel, 17_  
 _District 12 Male Tribute_

* * *

 _Albert Junior!?_

To me, a mutt or whatever roaming the arena for an hour wasn't a big deal. But to Thessaly, it was. "Dammit! They're out to get me!"  
"Wait...you...huh, what are you talking about?"  
"Never mind," Thessaly hissed. She was clutching her spear now, but her hands were shaking a little. "And shut up. I hear something."

Splash. Splash. Splash.

Thessaly was right. However, I knew that this was not another tribute. The sounds were much too heavy to be anybody. I forced myself to sit up. "Come on, let's get out of here. Help me up."  
I was expecting Thessaly to do so, but she just stared at me, a strange look in her eyes. And then she ran off into the arena without looking back.

Splash. Splash.  
"THESSALY!" I yelled. Why would she do that!? Rescues me one day and leaves me to die the next!? Unbelievable.  
My wounds hurt too much for me to do anything. I just leaned back, dropped my head in my hands and groaned. Until I saw him.

Something kicked in and I screamed as Valkner wrapped his arms around me and started backing up, dragging me along with him. I tried to rip myself free from his grasp, but he was so much stronger and I was too weak to do anything.  
Splash.

Valkner hit a pool of water and I was pulled in with him. I kept kicking, calling for help, but couldn't do anything as Valkner sank his teeth into my chest. "Help me! Somebody, help me!"  
My vision cleared and I soon realized it was not Valkner eating me alive, but an alligator. We were both now submerged and I had given up struggling. I just let the alligator feast on me and watched as my blood drifted towards the surface, making the water this cool reddish color.

I probably could've made one last attempt to escape. That would've no longer mattered. But then again, I was never the smartest at picking my fights.

* * *

 _Dany Kai, 16_  
 _District 4 Male Tribute_

* * *

BOOM!

Anya whimpered. "Oh no. Whatever that Albert is, he must've gotten someone already!"  
I didn't want to think the Gamemakers released something that killed tributes this quickly. Hopefully, we could stay out of Albert's range long enough for him to leave us alone.

We had been following a shallow river for a while now and were surprised to see it led to a lake. I noticed an overturned canoe and by the looks of it, had been like that for a while.  
The scene looked comforting and brought me back to swimming with Anya in our family pool before the Reapings began. How long ago was that?

"Dany..." Anya muttered quietly. "...is the water supposed to be red?"  
Red? Sure enough, the water in the lake as starting to turn a vibrant shade, the murky water feeding in from a connected river.  
Anya stepped forward and leaned over. "Hey, looks like there's something in here-"

She didn't get to finish her sentence as a giant alligator jumped from the water and clamped its jaw around her legs, before yanking her in its direction.  
"ANYA!" I shrieked.  
"Dany! HELP ME!"

Her body had almost been pulled into the water entirely, with her arms failing out. I grabbed my spear and poked at the alligator. However, the beast refused to give up my sister.  
As I kept jabbing, I extended a hand forward. "Here Anya! Grab onto me!"  
Her fingers melted into mine but as they did, Anya let out a horrifying yell, chilling my bones and causing me to let go of her as she fell back into the water, blood and bits of broken bone rising up.

"Look what you've done, you...MONSTER!" I shouted, throwing my spear. Once the alligator resurfaced, the spear hit it right in the side of its body and it rolled over. I backed away in shock.  
Something inside of me broke loose. And I ran. Away from Albert Junior the alligator. Away from all the blood. Away from the cannon's echo.

Away from my twin sister.  
I did come back a few minutes later. By then, both bodies were gone.

* * *

 _Desmond Juetar, 13_  
 _District 10 Male Tribute_

* * *

I guess I got off lucky.

I spent the whole day by myself. No mutt to attack or kill me. Those cannons were not mine.  
However, they did belong to someone. Today, two tributes did not escape whatever mutt that was sent out to murder us. Despite hearing multiple cannons go off so far, the idea of that chilled me.

It would've been nice to have someone sing to cheer me up, but I was on my own. Maybe I could sing to myself...but what was that song again? I should've asked Fennel about it when I had the chance.  
Instead, I sat cross-legged in the mud and began mimicking playing a guitar. Despite having not touched one in so long, the motions were still so familiar to me and I could pretend that I was plucking at strings or doing cool motions with my picks.

I stopped when the Anthem showed up with the faces of those who lost their lives to the mutt. First to appear was Anya, one of the twins from 4. I tried, but couldn't remember that much about her. Next up was Caxton, who I remembered a bit better, but only because he accidentally elbowed me on the elevator back in the Training Center.

Two more tributes dead. That reminded me...how many of us were actually alive now? Both from 1 , Adonis of 2 was still alive, the girl from 3, one of the twins from 4, that older girl from 5, Thistle I think her name was? I forgot. But I figured both from 9 were still alive as well. I knew Equila wasn't dead, since I hadn't seen her face at all. I knew I was still here...and both from 11, I think.

That made 12. Twelve, half of 24. Twelve tributes here, twelve tributes gone. Wow, I made it to the halfway point. I never really expected myself to place somewhere special, since I wasn't expecting to go into the Games at all, but being in the upper half was still pretty good. I thought about this as I dozed off into sleep.

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _Makeshift Careers:_ Carina, Adonis, Uirjah

 _Two Lil Bean Teens:_ Demara, Willow

 _District 9:_ Terran, Pellia

 _Damn you Albert Junior Also I'm an Alligator Assassin Now:_ Dany

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Thessaly, Desmond, Equila

* * *

Kills:

Carina: 1 (Tihi)

Foxy: 1 (Bolte)

Valkner: 3 (Zander, Everly, Harper)

Thessaly: 1 (Valkner)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 1 (Fennel)

Mutts: 2 (Anya, Caxton)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **14th place: Caxton Beel II, District 12. Mauled by alligator mutt.**

 **Caxton was in no condition to survive much longer. Both his mental and physical state had dwindled thanks to Valkner and he couldn't recover overnight. Plus, becoming Albert Junior's dinner is not a pretty death. I liked how he differed from most fighting tributes, as he never won all his battles or gave them much thought. Sorry for taking out your last hope like that, I believe in nargles too, but thanks for Caxton, who may have been a little bone-headed, but not all the time.**

 **13th place: Anya Kai, District 4. Mauled by alligator mutt.**

 **I knew at some point, the twins would have to get separated and I chose Anya to be the victim, as I felt like she was the weaker of the two physically. Her relationship with her brother was so loving and sweet, completely different from the relationship I have with my bro. She was smart and strategic, but didn't really see Albert Junior coming in time. Thanks for Anya, ThomasHungerGamesFan, and you still have Alligator Assassin Dany (I'm calling him that now) so the Games aren't yet over for you.**

* * *

 **Just to clear up any confusion, Albert the Alligator and Albert Junior are separate from one another. Albert is the baby alligator hanging out with Taurus while Albert Junior is not real (like most mutts). Don't worry, no real Alberts were harmed in the making of this chapter.**

 **Also, Arena-Based deaths and Mutt deaths are different. The former is when a tribute gets killed by something that is part of or occurs in the arena, such as jumping off a platform or starving (as it happened in the arena).**

 **Now what a chapter! Stick around for Day 9!**


	40. Day 9: Shrooms

**Surprised how many of you liked Albert Junior. I'm ready for it to become a meme now.**

 **In my opinion, this chapter is kinda lazy. I kinda ran out of scenes to write.**

* * *

 _District 12_

* * *

Perhaps it would've been easier to take the losses had Tihi and Caxton met more peaceful ends. Adha, the woman that Tihi helped out so much, comforted her parents and even cooked for them as they recovered. She also gave them a discount at her shop and the old broom Tihi always used to clean the floors.

As for Caxton's father, he struggled greatly without someone to provide the money for his habits, or nobody being there in general. He fell into a state of depression and mourning that was only lifted when he finally decided to end it all. Two months after the Games, Peacekeepers found him hanging by a noose in his home. He was buried next to his son.

* * *

 _Equila West, 14_  
 _District 10 Female Tribute_

* * *

My feet squelched in the mud beneath me. I pulled some berries from my pocket and munched on them. The Sun beat down overhead, reminding me how thirsty I was. I had spent yesterday searching for a good water source and hadn't found much. Maybe today would be different.

My throat was dry and sore from having so little to drink. I tried swallowing some saliva to see if it could make a difference. Then I picked up my pace. The sooner I found waster, the better.  
Eventually, I came across a lake. What surprised me was how clear the water looked. It was much different from the few streams I had seen flowing around and I wondered if maybe the Gamemakers had cleaned this area up or something. But it looked refreshing and I gave in.

I probably didn't look too flattering but I didn't care as I drank up that sweet cool water, scooping it up and slurping from my hands. My throat felt better almost instantly. When I wad done, I wiped the leftover droplets from my chin and set off.  
When I stopped again, just to get my bearings, I noticed a stick pointing out of the mud. Picking it up, I began to scribble on the ground. It took some time, but I figured out how to write the words _Hi Marshall_ in the mud.

Hopefully if my little brother saw it, he'd find it funny.

* * *

 _Dany Kai, 16_  
 _District 4 Male Tribute_

* * *

I could not stop thinking about Anya. I tried to move with my day, but her scream as she was dragged away from me was haunting. How could I forget it?

I moved slowly and distractedly, like a zombie. Memories were flooding back now, memories of our time together back in 4. Sailing a toy sailboat in the bathtub. Kissing my mother on the cheek as she blew out the candles on her birthday cake. Teasing Anya about the boy across the street. She had been with me for 16 years and in a blink of an eye, she was gone.  
Anya had such a life ahead of her. And now, thanks to the jaws of an alligator, she had been taken from this world.

It hurt just too much. I collapsed on the spot, crying loudly. Tears formed in my eyes and hiccups forced themselves out of my throat. I didn't care if my pitiful actions were being televised right now. I missed life before being Reaped for the Games. I missed District 4.  
I missed my sister.

"Anya..." I whimpered, even though she couldn't hear me. "Anya, I'm so sorry...I wish you didn't have to go down that way...maybe there was something that I could've done..."  
I was in such a mentally weak state and I hated it. I had to move on. I was District 4's last hope! I had to win for them, win for myself, win for Anya Kai.

I wiped the tears and snot from my face, before taking a couple of deep breaths. Any lingering thoughts of my sister's death were pushed to the back of my mind. I could do this, right? I had managed to survive this long.

"Don't worry guys. The other Kai twin is coming home."

* * *

 _Terran Straw, 16_  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

"Are those mushrooms?" Pellia asked.  
"What are mushrooms?"

Upon hearing that word, my mouth watered slightly. We were starting to run of food, so anything we knew was edible was quickly devoured. And I was willing to go after some mushrooms.  
Pellia plucked the biggest one and held it up. It was a rusty orange with what looked like a hard stem. "It was growing by this dead trunk."

I shook my head. "We should put it back then. I don't know if some ants got to it or not."  
"Looks fine to me. And it's so big! I think one of the trainers said that it was safe to eat."  
"Wait-" I suggested, but Pellia had already shoved the thing into her mouth. As she chewed, she made a face. "Wow, it's bitter. Want one, Terran?"

"I think I'll pass."  
She didn't drop dead right away, so I assumed that was good. It wasn't until about half an hour later that the giggling started. I had no clue what caused it but Pellia began to chuckle softly.  
I stopped in my tracks. "Are...you okay?"

She tried to answer me, but couldn't before she lost it and burst out into a fit of laughter. I was shocked. What was happening!?  
"Pellia, please stop! You're gonna get us in trouble!"  
Pellia didn't stop and just laughed some more. Now she was clutching onto me so she wouldn't fall over. I was about to shush her a second time, when I heard very faint rustling.

I sprung into action and clamped a hand over Pellia's mouth, then swung her over my shoulder. We ran from the nearby noises...well, I ran. Pellia just continued her laughing fit.

It took hours for everything to wear off, the laughter gradually getting fainter and fainter. Once the mushroom's effects were fully out of her system, Pellia listened to me scold her the importance of being careful about what she was eating, then began to tell me what an awesome trip she had.

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

To be honest, I was thankful for a day with no cannons or deaths. But then again, it was days like these where my thoughts completely surrounded me and left me wondering about what I had done, then what I had to do next.

I wanted to try and lie down, in hopes of getting a bit more sleep. But my mind was racing. About my parents and their work with the rebels. About my support for the Capitol. About our clashing viewpoints and mindsets.  
There was one question that had practically eaten away at me, ever since they both died. I had never been able to answer it for two years, but suddenly it was becoming more clear now.

Who was right all along?

Was it me, who rightly predicted the Capitol would stay strong, only to throw me into the Hunger Games later? Was it my mother and father, who argued that our government would be up to no good once they finally won? Why did it hurt my head to sort this out?  
Now I knew. It hurt because I was wrong.

I should have known. The Capitol wasn't going to see the error of its ways. Those who ran the country weren't going to have a sudden change of heart. Things weren't going to get better. My support meant nothing to them.  
No wonder I blamed myself so much for my parents' deaths. They had only been looking out for me, rebelling because they wanted to try and create a better future for their son. So he wouldn't have to live in a world where the Hunger Games existed.

"Is there a point?" I muttered quietly to myself. "Is there a point for going through so much blame? They were only trying to do what parents were supposed to and keep their kid safe, right?"  
I fell into a restless sleep with these questions floating around. When I woke up, they still didn't make anymore sense.

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _Makeshift Careers:_ Carina, Urijah, Adonis

 _3+11 is 14, Did Anybody Know That?:_ Demara, Willow

 _Mushrooms Are Bad:_ Terran, Pellia

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Dany, Thessaly, Desmond, Equila

* * *

Kills:

Carina: 1 (Tihi)

Foxy: 1 (Bolte)

Valkner: 3 (Zander, Everly, Harper)

Thessaly: 1 (Valkner)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 1 (Fennel)

Mutts: 2 (Anya, Dany)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **No deaths today. The Gamemakers let the tributes have a day of rest after Albert Junior appeared on the scene.  
**

 **Also, the mushroom Pellia ate is called gymnopilus spectabilis, or Big Laughing Gym. I did my research (by searching things up, not actually eating a mushroom) and it causes the eater to go on a high that involves a lot of laughing. She'll be fine, though.  
**

 **Seems like a boring day? Thought so too, Stay tuned for Day 10!**


	41. Day 10: The Feast

**Day 10. And time for something special.**

 **Also, I have just posted the first chapter for my new SYOT, Our Last Summer! Submissions are open and will likely close sometime after Rebellious Fate ends. I hope that you all choose to participate! I can't wait to see some stellar submissions!**

* * *

 _Demara "Dem" Filenfire, 15_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

Things were not going well for us. Most of the food Willow and I had was gone, save for maybe a package of dried beef. We were tired, scared, and the constant dropping of tributes didn't help our nerves either. I was still trying to stay positive, for Willow's sake and my own. But I had stopped fooling myself a long time ago.

"We have to do something." Willow complained, surfing through the last of our supplies in hopes for something edible. "We're gonna starve."  
"No, we're not gonna starve. I promise, we'll find something somewhere-"

 _"ATTENTION TRIBUTES! Head Gamemaker Taurus Blackman here! First of all, I want to say congratulations for making it to the top half and surviving ten days. Nice job. As for the real reason I'm here, it's to invite you all to a Feast at the Cornucopia. We'll have it restocked and full of supplies such as weapons, food, water...anything else you'll need."_

A feast sounded tempting, especially knowing there was going to be food there. Willow look a bit horrified at the idea and kept shaking her head. Of course the offer sounded too good to be true.

 _"Now now tributes, before you change your mind, I have one last bit of news. Waiting for you in the Cornucopia are 12 bags, each marked with your district number. Inside each are three things: a token from your home district, a letter written by a family member, an a picture of your loved ones. Perhaps this is hat will keep you going, the thought of making it back home to your family and friends. You don't have to take up the offer, but I'd like you all to think about it._ "

That changed everything. Despite being more worried about survival, I would've loved a letter from my mother or brother, just somebody I knew back home. Even one measly token would make me feel better. I turned to Willow. "We should go."  
"But what if everyone else is there? What if someone tries to kill us?"  
"We'll just grab what we need and go. We'll be quick. Okay?"

Willow hesitated, then nodded. We grabbed our stuff and made our way to the Feast.

* * *

 _Taurus Blackman, 34_  
 _Head Gamemaker_

* * *

I watched as the table began to rise into the mouth of the Cornucopia. Sitting upon were twelve bags of different shapes and sizes. Some had the same numbers, such as 1, 9, 10, and 11. Those were the districts with both tributes left in the Games.

Monitoring the cameras, I figured out which tributes were and weren't attending the Feast. Foxy seemed comfortable enough and decided not to risk it. The District 9 pair had broken up, one going to grab the bags and the other staying behind to watch the supplies. The trio of the Carina, Urijah and Adonis had split too, Adonis staying back in case and wandering tributes came across the camp. This left nine to arrive at the Feast. Now who would make the first move?

For about a minute, the tributes all watched each other. Finally, Desmond made a break for it and startled everyone by grabbing his bag off the table and dashing back into the arena. Once he left, Terran and Thessaly both entered the scene.  
And then chaos began.

Thessaly reached her bag first and swung it at Terran. He jumped to the side, but her bag collided with his arm and he tumbled over. Dany ran for a sack of apples lying on the floor, right into Urijah's view. He picked up some daggers and tossed one at the Four boy. It sunk into Dany's chest and blood spilled out of his mouth. Urijah pounced onto him and yanked the dagger free, stabbing Dany over and over until he was sure the boy was dead.

By now Thessaly was gone and Terran was making his escape. He bumped into Equila on his way out and she ran straight into the Cornucopia to hide from Carina, who was adding to her collecting of knives by scooping several off the ground.

Holding hands, Demara and Willow ran for the Cornucopia and grabbed their own bags. Urijah, picking up the bags for his alliance, noticed them and flung a dagger. It missed Willow entirely, but stuck itself into Demara's leg. The two girls stopped running and tried to yank the dagger free.

I had been keeping such a close eye on those three, I didn't notice Carina creeping up behind, until she flung a knife straight into Willow's skull. The girl sank to the ground and Demara let out a scream of terror. She quickly ran off.

"Nice," Urijah smirked at Carina. They both took their time grabbing supplies and weapons they wanted. Finally, Carina noticed the last 10 bag had disappeared from her view and Equila sneaking out of the Cornucopia. She stumbled and just stared at the other two tributes in shock.

"After her!" Urijah ordered.

Equila dashed off, Urijah and Carina not far behind. In the meantime, two cannons were played. One for the boy from Four, one for the girl from Eleven.

"What should focus the camera on now?" Someone behind me asked.  
"Get the chase. I want to see how it ends."

* * *

 _Adonis Rupture, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

Stay here and watch the stuff, they said. It won't be that boring, they said.  
My allies must've thought I was stupid. Why else would they have me watch over the supplies while they went to the Feast and ended some lives? Just because I had yet to get a kill didn't mean that I was capable of defending myself.

I had overheard the whispered conversations, when they thought I was sleeping or relieving myself. I knew I was the weak link. I knew they didn't hold the same level of respect for me I held for them. I knew that if I messed up, my head was on the chopping block. Literally. It was surprising neither had tried to murder me in my sleep yet.

I paraded around our bags for the eight time, when I heard the ruckus. Screams that sounded like Urijah and Carina, mixed with those of a little girl I didn't recognize. It wasn't until I caught sight of her orange jacket that I sprung into action. I picked up my spear and threw.

However, the girl was faster than I expected and I could tell the spear missed her chest entirely. But I had aimed correctly and the weapon got stuck in her back. She stopped for second, then crumpled, choking on her own blood and spit.  
I moved in to examine the scene. There was blood everywhere. Did I hit something? Perhaps her heart?

"Wow," Carina commented as the cannon fired. "I...I wasn't expecting that at all."  
"Me neither." I said quietly.  
Urijah looked shocked for a minute. "Well then...nice job, I guess. Let's get out of here."

There was no mistaking this shock in his voice; obviously, I was a lot more powerful than he thought. Even I had been starting to doubt my abilities. Sure it was nice to be feared but the killing shocked me. Was I really capable of ending another person's life?

While Carina and Urijah started off, I stayed behind a bit. Gently, I bent down and pressed two fingers against the girl's face, shutting her eyelids. She really looked like she could be sleeping peacefully. However, those in her home district of 10 saw it that way.

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _You Get A Kill! And YOU Get A Kill! And You-:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _District 9:_ Terran, Pellia

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Demara, Thessaly, Desmond

* * *

Kills:

Carina: 2 (Willow, Tihi)

Foxy: 1 (Bolte)

Adonis: 1 (Equila)

Valkner: 3 (Zander, Everly, Harper)

Thessaly: 1 (Valkner)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 2 (Dany, Fennel)

Mutts: 2 (Anya, Caxton)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **12th place: Dany Kai, District 4. Stabbed repeatedly by Urijah.**

 **Dany hadn't fully recovered from mourning his sister; obviously, it takes more than two days to get over the death of a loved one. Trust me, I know. I also felt that there wasn't a lot left to do with him and it would be just to cruel to have him win while Anya died. I needed some victims for the Feast and I chose him. If you're still reading, ThomasHungerGamesFan, thanks for the Kai twins. I loved exploring their connection and at least Dany is an Alligator Assassin now.**

 **11th place: Willow Harper, District 11. Knife to the head by Carina.**

 **Willow was the kind of tribute who just hung out in the background, until the sudden drop of allies allowed her to come a little more into the spotlight. She was a simple girl, really, who just wanted to survive and go home to her family. It was nice to have a tribute who didn't have anything crazy or chaotic about them and i had fun showing he relationships with her alliance. Thanks Featherflight123 for Willow and I hope you'll continue to stick around.**

 **10th place: Equila West, District 10. Speared in the back by Adonis.**

 **When I saw Equila's form, I was first worried she'd be a typical sweet and innocent little girl. I was so glad that I was proven wrong. Equila may have not stood much and kept away from conflict in the arena, but she had been through an awful lot before the Games were introduced and suffered many losses. Despite that, Equila still had a soft side and was willing to show kindness. Thanks District 9 tribute for her, and you've still got Terran and Pellia, so the Games aren't over for you!**

* * *

 **Lol, just realized the twins placed back-to-back and the 10 and 11 girls placed 10th and 11th. None of that was intentional.**

 **Now we're down to our final 9! If one or two of those tributes belong to you, nice job! You're doing way better than I normally do.**

 **See you all on Day 11! And don't forget to check out Our Last Summer!**


	42. Day 11: Letters From Home

**We're getting closer and closer to the end of our Games! Yay!**

 **Also, if you haven't already, please check out my latest SYOT, Our Last Summer! Submissions for it are still open!**

* * *

 _District 4_

* * *

Many families were ashamed with themselves for their relief that only one family had to suffer this year. Over the course of the next few weeks, gifts of flowers, seafood, cards and shells were brought to the Kai household, whee the aging parents clutched each other tightly. If there was anything worse than losing one child, it was losing two of them.

Dany and Anya's mother would continue her job as 4's mayor for three more years, then retired once her term ran out. During that time, she and her husband had another two sons together, one after the other. They were named Dennis and Aaron, and while neither boy could fully replace the twins, their parents lover their sons dearly manged to keep both out of the Hunger Games.

* * *

 _Demara "Dem" Filenfire, 15_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

I had been through my bag about three times now. It contained a shiny penny from my brother, a note written by my mother, and a picture of the two of them, smiling away. I grinned sadly as I ran my finger along the frame.

Willow's bag lay in the dirt beside me. I hadn't thought about opening it, since it seemed like an invasion of her privacy. Finally, curiosity took over and I tore the bag open.  
The contents spilled into my lap. A dried up flower that hadn't survived its journey here. Watching a crumpled petal fall off quickly reminded me of Willow's demise. I shook the thoughts away and turned to the picture of a man, a woman, and two tiny girls.

The scene looked so comforting. The man, most likely her father, was holding Willow's youngest sister on his shoulders while her mother stood beside him. I felt a small pang of envy. This was what it was like to have a family that wasn't broken. A father who loved you. I thought about this as I picked up the letter.

 _Dear Willow,_

 _First of, I'm proud of you. You've been doing so well and I'm glad that you're alive. Who knows what will happen when you finally get this letter, but I hope you'll actually get a chance to read it._  
 _There's so much I want to say, but not enough paper to say it. I'll just state with the obvious. You family loves you. I'm sure you know that, but I mean it. Even your mother and I disagree and it looks like we don't love each other anymore, I still care for you. You're my daughter and I would never do anything that put you in harm's way._

 _Please come back to us. Your sisters miss you. Your mother misses you. I miss you. Please come back and we can try to be a happy family again._

 _-You dearest father._

My heart felt like it had broken into a million tiny pieces. I felt ashamed for reading a letter not meant for me. I simply let the letter fall from my hands, gathered my stuff and trudged off, ignoring the pain in my leg. Willow's stuff stayed where it was. Just like she did when she died.

* * *

 _Pellia Sheath, 12_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

 _My sweet little Pellia,_

 _Where do I begin? Your absence has left quite a toll on us. Not a day goes by when we don't worry, your sister and I the most._  
 _I know you're worried about the beatings, but surprisingly, your father has cut down a little on his drinking. Perhaps he realizes now, the danger you are in and that he truly is worried for you._

 _You've made it so far. We believe that you can go on and come back home to us. Please do. We want our family to be whole once more._

I handed Terran my mother's letter and made him read it out to me, explaining all the hard words. "To sum it up, your mother says she misses you and that your father has cut back on the drinking."  
"Oh...well that's good, right?"

Terran smiled. "Of course. It means he won't be as aggressive and once you come back, you and Winnow can have a happy relationship with him."  
When he coughed out my sister's name, tears threatened to spill form Terran's eyes. He missed her. He had to. It takes a lot to leave someone you love so much and Terran made the ultimate sacrifice by agreeing to come into these Games with me.

"Do you miss her, Terran?" I asked quietly.  
"Of course. I miss her. I miss everyone. My mom. My dad. My friends..." He trailed off.

"I do too. I wanna go home. I wanna see my sister gain. And My Mom. I...I wanna...I wanna see my dad! Him too! I just don't wanna be alone."  
Someone wrapped me in their arms. It was Terran. "Don't worry. Under my watch, you will be going home. I will fight for you to get back. So please don't cry. Because you will survive.."

"You promise?"  
"I promise."

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

I poked at the dirt with a twig I found. A small clump shot into the air and landed on my pants. I quickly brushed it off.  
Playing with the dirt of the arena made me realize I hadn't seen a single tribute since I ran into and killed Bolte. To me, that was kinda odd. How could the numbers drop so quickly but I was constantly glossed over?

Not that I was complaining. I'd rather be overshadowed than viewed as a threat. I no longer wanted the strangers watching to know who I was. When the cameras finally pointed back at me, I wanted them to forget I was a devoted Capitol servant.

Maybe that was why I didn't run to the Feast, because I didn't want to blow my cover. And because the Capitol had taken away every single person I loved-  
No, that wasn't true. I had my aunt, who showered me with affection and made me feel like one of the family. I had my uncle, who likely saw me as one of his own. I had my cousins, a friendly little duo who always tried to include me.

It was time to put my foot down. For too long, I had been playing the Capitol's game of blaming the rebels and holding myself responsible for deaths I had no control over. I had been deceived and refused to at least consider a different point of view.

It was confusing and amusing to think about how quickly my thoughts had changed. Even I wanted to laugh about it. Oh well, if there was time to change, the time was now. A good son makes sure that his parents' deaths never go in vain.

Perhaps that was what I had to do.

* * *

 _Urijah Woodley, 18_  
 _District 11 Male Tribute_

* * *

The day went by without any more kills, but I guess it could be excused. Carina and I had already given Adonis his praise for taking out a tribute like that. However, I was already on kill 2, itching for a third. That was going to have to wait.

It was nighttime now, and I had offered to take first watch. To keep myself occupied, I pulled out my bag that I had grabbed at the Feast. I had been through it multiple times, but another look wouldn't hurt.  
Sasha had sent me a chain necklace with a U charm hanging off; it was probably stolen. It lay around a picture of her smiling shyly. The final touch was her letter. Barely any paper was left, her having ripped of piece after piece when writing it. In the very centre of the small scrap, five words had been messily scrawled.

 _Go get them, big brother._

It was the perfect reminder of who I was fighting for, why I kept tearing through the arena and spilling blood. When our parents stopped parenting, I vowed to be the best father and big brother Sasha ever had. I would make sure she had the life she wanted for herself.

Already I had provided her with so much back home. She was an unofficial member of my gang and me second-in-command agreed to watch over her while I was gone. We managed to steal and sell enough valuables to keep our house and avoid being sent to the district community home, filled to the brim with children in a similar situation.

I imagined Sasha sitting with one of my cronies in their home, watching my struggles on the broadcast. She was probably worried, but relieved I had made it this far. Now, it could be a hop, a skip and a step before I'd be back home and with her in my new Victor's Village house.

"Don't worry Sasha," I muttered quietly. "Your big brother's got this."

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _The Big Three:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _Aaaaahhhh My Feels:_ Terran, Pellia

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Demara, Thessaly, Desmond

* * *

Kills:

Foxy: 1 (Bolte)

Carina: 2 (Willow, Tihi)

Adonis: 1 (Equila)

Valkner: 3 (Zander, Everly, Harper)

Thessaly: 1 (Valkner)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 2 (Dany, Fennel)

Mutts: 2 (Anya, Caxton)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **So, nothing too big today. I figured the arena would calm down a little after a big Feast.**

 **See you all on Day 12! And don't forget to check out Our Last Summer!**


	43. Day 12: Death Speaks

**We're starting to near the end of the Games! How exciting and how nerve-wracking!**

* * *

 _Adonis Rupture, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

After a day of reading letters and looking through bags, we all agreed that it was time to get back into business. Aside from Urijah, Carina and I, there were still six other tributes left in the arena.  
"That's like, two kills each," Carina mused.  
"We'll see what happens." Urijah replied.

The tense atmosphere seemed to have settled a little. It was like that ever since the Feast and I made my first kill. I knew I was still on the bottom, but I had proved I was no longer dead weight, right? I proved I actually provided something for the team.

About a few minutes later, we heard a rustling noise, mixed with faint footsteps and ragged breathing.. Carina stopped and glanced around. "There's someone nearby."  
I shrugged. "Could just be an animal."  
"COuLd jUsT Be aN ANiMal." Urijah said, mocking my words in a high-pitched voice. "Come on, let's go get them."

The two took off and I followed after. Whoever it was, they began to speed up in an attempt to escape. I could just barely hear distant huffing, puffing and tripping.  
"Hurry up guys!" Urijah yelled. "We're falling behind!"  
"We're trying!" Carina shouted as her feet slipped in the mud, before she stumbled. "If you got a problem, do something!"

"Wait...Adonis, your spear. Throw the spear!"  
I was clutching my spear, but it was starting to slip from my sweaty hand. Running didn't help. It fell from my hands into the mud and I had to stop to grab it.  
"THROW THE SPEAR!" Urijah screeched.

I finally manged to grab the spear and let it fly. We had managed to catch up to the tribute, who was now no more than a blur. The spear struck the blur and it disappeared from my sight. A loud scream echoed through the arena.

Carina winced. "Yikes."

* * *

 _Demara "Dem" Filenfire, 15_  
 _District 3 Female Tribute_

* * *

I didn't even think about stopping. I kept running and running as if my life depended on it. The funny thing was that it did. But I wasn't laughing.  
While my leg felt a bit better, nothing had fully recovered and I had to drag my limb behind me. I could've outrun my pursers. I had the chance!

Had my stupid leg healed.  
The spear struck me. Hard. The tip flew into my shoulder and I crashed to the ground. I tried to bite back a scream of pain, but it hurt too much.  
Blood spilled everywhere. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes. I blinked them back. The attackers chose this moment to come into my view. I had forgotten their names, but judging from their jackets, the trip consisted of the girl from 1, alongside the boys from 2 and 11.

"Adonis, you idiot." the boy from 11 groaned. "You missed."  
"Oops..." Adonis muttered quietly. "...So what should we do?"  
I squirmed a little, hoping to loosen the spear from my shoulder. It didn't help. I glanced up towards the other tributes, but they were too busy talking about my fate.

"Let's just leave her," the boy from 11 decided. "She'll just bleed out eventually."  
No. I didn't want to just bleed out. That would only make things worse!  
"Wait, no!" I cried, rolling onto my side. "D-don't...please, it hurts."

I managed to catch the 1 girl's attention. She simply turned back and stood over me, careful not to get her boots coated in blood. "I'm guessing it feels really bad, huh?"  
I nodded. I didn't have energy to do anything else.  
The girl placed her hand on her hip, where I noticed a belt full of holsters and knives. She drew out a sharp blade.  
"Do you think you can make it painless?" I asked.

"I'll try my best. Now don't move."  
With that, the knife was plunged into my heart.

* * *

 _Desmond Juetar, 13_  
 _District 10 Male_

* * *

BOOM!

I jumped at hearing the cannon. What surprised me was that there was one lone cannon, all by itself. I had gotten used to days with multiple deaths, days where the tributes dropped like flies. The numbers of tributes remaining was getting smaller and smaller.

And then there were 8.

I wondered who the cannon belonged to. There were a lot of older tributes left, so I wondered if one of them had died. But it made more sense for someone closer to my age, like the tiny girl from 9 or the girl from 3 to fall victim.  
"Well, Desmond..." I told myself, in a cheerful tone. "You're now one step closer to victory."

It no longer felt that way. I watched kids older than me die. It wasn't just a Game anymore. This was real, real life. I couldn't just say more cannons meant better chances of me getting home. The pressure was on me now, the pressure to survive and not just somehow make it to Final 8.  
I waited for any other noises. A second cannon. Maybe indication as to who did it.

Nothing. There was nothing. I wasn't expect anything to happen. It was better for me that I was lone. That way, I wouldn't be hurt. Alone time was both a blessing and a curse. Part of me felt relieved that I had stayed safe this long. The other half kinda wished for anyone to say something, do something.

That way, I'd know someone was suffering with me.

* * *

 _Thessaly Tudor, 18_  
 _District 5 Female Tribute_

* * *

I was constantly having the same dreams. Dream of confronting a mysterious shadow that resembled a tribute, then slitting its throat. I never got to figure out who it was, because I always disappeared from the arena right afterwards. I would be standing in front of the Justice Building while thousands of people cheered my name.  
My family would be there. Mom, Dad, Soren. We all shared the hugs and I cried tears of happiness.

The dream was possibly my reality. If I was careful enough, I could make it to Final Two, then go home to my family. With the power of my victory, we'd overthrow the Capitol and end this madness. No more Hunger Games. No more watching crying kids get Reaped. Last year was more than enough.  
However, I'd have to keep going through this stupid arena for that. I didn't really want to anymore.

The Sun was setting and the sky started to grow dark. I heard the first few notes of the Anthem and watched the Seal appear. Only one face tonight. That of the girl from 3. Poor thing. Against everyone else who was left, she didn't have a chance.

I wanted to think that her death brought me closer to 5. I wanted to think that was a good opportunity for me. But I refused to. Clearly, it was what the Capitol wanted me to think. If I was gonna go home, I'd have to do it the rebel way or no way.

"Rebel way or no way.." I muttered to myself before letting out a huge yawn. I gently lay back and clsoed my eyes. "I'll...I'll think about it...tomorrow..."

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _Them Careers:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _District 9:_ Terran, Pellia

 _Loners:_ Foxy, Thessaly, Desmond

* * *

Kills:

Foxy: 1 (Bolte)

Carina: 3 (Demara, Willow, Tihi)

Adonis: 1 (Equila)

Valkner: 3 (Zander, Everly, Harper)

Thessaly: 1 (Valkner)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 2 (Dany, Fennel)

Mutts: 2 (Anya, Caxton)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena Eywill)

* * *

 **9th place: Demara "Dem" Filenfire, District 3. Blood loss from leg injury and put out of misery by Carina.**

 **In a way Dem was simple, but her kindness and optimism really stood out to me. She had a more dramatic backstory, but never once did it overshadow her bubbly personality. After all that stuff going on with her leg, she probably wouldn't last much longer before her injuries got the bets of her. Fear not, Carina is a bit more merciful so it wasn't that bad. Thanks for this story's first ever submission, Tribute00, and you still have Carina to cheer on!  
**

* * *

 **I know Adonis should be given some credit for spearing Dem, but the final blow was made by Carina, so I figured the Gamemakers would give the kill to her, purely out of laziness. You can give Adonis an assist if you'd like.**

 **Congrats to the submitters of our Final 8: Carina, Foxy, Adonis, Thessaly, Pellia, Terran, Desmond and Urijah! Nice job!**


	44. Day 13: Liars and Luck

**I've had a hard time motivating myself to write lately, but I decided to get this chapter out when I could.**

 **Submissions for OLS are piling in fast so if you haven't submitted yet and want to, now would be a good time to do so!**

* * *

 _District 3_

* * *

Dem's mother and brother mourned greatly after losing her. Many people in the district attended her funeral. Jokes were told, happy moments shared and smiles replaced the tears. It was exactly how she would've liked to be remembered. When everything was over, a stranger appeared in the cemetery at midnight. He dropped some flowers onto Dem's grave and whispered goodbye.

The only ones who would really remember Valkner were his parents. While many in the district were relived to see him go, the Strosses were pretty sad to lose their son. They took good care of Valkner's pet rat and eventually set him free into the wild. Eugene lived a happy life on the outskirts of 3 with his fellow rat friends, where there no were no traps of any kind.

* * *

 _Carina Pitchcoff, 17_  
 _District 1 Female_

* * *

I would never be afraid to admit that I wasn't perfect. Nobody was perfect, no matter how hard they tried. I have never bee an exception. I was grouchy and moody, but at least I was able to recognize my flaws. I could unintentionally break things. I had distant memories of younger me accidentally knocking some glasses from a kitchen shelf onto the floor.

Never once had I broken life.  
What a way to phrase it. But life couldn't be broken. It could only be taken away. Now I wasn't the type to pretend death didn't exist and wouldn't come after me one day, because I knew it would happen. Nobody is perfect and nobody lives forever.

Maybe it was the Games catching up with me. That was why I was thinking so much about the death. I had ended the lives of three people in the arena, and I didn't even think about it. Three kills-no, it doesn't count as a kill if she wanted me to do it...right?

"What are you thinking about?" Adonis asked, polishing a spear. It was early in the morning and we hadn't started our daily hunt yet.  
"...stuff," I sighed. "Nothing much, really. Where's Urijah?"

"He said he was going to the bathroom. Personally, I think he's gonna try and hunt someone down. Probably not gonna get lucky, though."  
That sounded like Urijah. We fed some twigs into the nearby fire, then shared the last pack of beef jerky. A lot had been eaten over the span of twelve days, but Urijah and I loaded up at the Feast and there was still quite a bit left.

Sure enough, the man himself came back with a huge scowl on his face. I gave him a strip of jerky. "That was an awfully long potty break." Adonis commented.  
"When you gotta go, you gotta go. Now let's gear up."

"Should I just keep my mouth shut?" Adonis whispered as grabbed our stuff.  
"That wouldn't be a bad idea."

* * *

 _Pellia Sheath, 12_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

Nothing much had happened in a while, but I was perfectly fine with that. No action meant no death, and no death meant survival.  
"We should start looking for some more food," Terran said after poking around. "We're out."

That wasn't good. More food meant no death, and without it...  
As we searched, I was careful avoid picking the mushrooms. While they weren't poisonous, I wasn't exactly ready for another round of endless laughter. Terran had already told me it was quite annoying to listen to.

We found a bush and began stripping off berries. A few minutes into the task, Terran suddenly looked up. "Run."  
"Huh?"  
"I said run!"

I heard it now. A trio of loud voices coming for us. Terran pointed in the opposite direction and I made my break for it.  
Dashing through the arena, I kept constantly tripping and stumbling. I was getting so far away that I could no longer hear Terran or the other tributes.

Suddenly, the ground disappeared and I fell down a large muddy slope. I couldn't control my screams as I slid and tumbled all the way down. Finally the fall was over but my vision was a complete and total blur. I could hardly see anything.  
Then the cannon sounded. I jumped up with a start and glanced around the empty swap.

"Terran?" I whimpered softly. He didn't arrive.

* * *

Terran Straw, 16  
 _District 9 Male Tribute_

* * *

Luckily, the approaching tributes wouldn't find Pellia. Unluckily, there was no time for me to hide.  
The trip of Carina, Urijah and Adonis arrived. I came up with a story, then composed myself. "Well, wasn't expecting to see you guys here."

"Oh hey, you again-" Adonis sputtered as Urijah elbowed him in the ribs. I winced, but neither of them heard.  
"Cute the crap, 9. We let you go once, it's not happening again. Say, you wouldn't know where your little friend is, would you?"

"Who...Pellia?" I asked, trying to sound confident. "No clue...no wait, I do know where she is. I killed her."  
Strange looks all around. "Yeah right." Urijah smirked. "Like you could even harm a fly."

"You serious buddy? I found her sleeping one night and cut her right open. She had no time to scream. You won't find the body though, it's probably gone."  
Lying about murdering Pellia wasn't making me popular with the audience right now. But I knew I had to lie. Better Pellia be assumed dead then for people to actively look for her.

Adonis shrugged. "I guess she is gone. I don't remember seeing her face in the sky, though." He seemed a bit impatient for the conversation to be over.  
Carina, on the other hand, looked very skeptical. "Turn around."  
I did as she asked.

"Liar," Carina hissed. "You have both 9 bags on your back. You took them at the feast! I saw you."  
"No, I stole one them from her! Listen, just believe me! I already accidentally killed someone Day 1; I'd have no problem doing it again. Just accept it and let me go. Please, I have a girlfriend to get home to-"

Urijah tackled me to the ground. Carina scowled, Adonis took a step back, and I was too surprised to put up a fight. I tried to land a measly punch, but he knocked my hand out of the way and drove a dagger into my chest. I bit back a yelp of pain as he slashed a heart into my stomach.  
"Give that to your girlfriend," Urijah hissed as he got up and walked away. His allies followed him.

The arena was growing fainter. With no energy to do anything else, I simply let some blood spill into my hand and drew a sticky flower in the mud. The brown and red mixed together and it looked very pretty.

Pretty things always reminded me of Winnow. I hoped she wouldn't be too sad when she saw me.

* * *

 _Desmond Juetar, 13_  
 _District 10 Male Tribute_

* * *

BOOM!

 _That makes seven,_ I thought once the cannon faded away. _Seven tributes left._

Seven was a lucky number. I remembered that one of the kids in my mom's orphanage told me how lucky seven was.  
"Why do yo think so?" I asked.  
"Because today I'm getting adopted! On my seventh birthday!"

I never really believed too much in lucky numbers, but now I was actually wondering. Was this kid right? Could seven mean something? Could it be a sign I could win?  
Of course my chance just got a little better, since there was one ls tribute in the way. That was the only part where luck did anything. And it wasn't even lucky.

Maybe that conversation made me long for being a kid. For being back in 10, hanging out with my bandmates. Playing the guitar until my fingers got sore. Listening to jokes from Boris and stories from my parents. Having no worries about Hunger Games or getting my name drawn...oh, how I missed being a kid.

I missed home. That was the big one. Final seven was me one step closer to going home. I didn't care about Victory. I didn't care about that big empty village they built in our district. I wanted to go home, to the people I loved, where I would be safe.  
I didn't care if I still had Games to go through. At the end of the day, I was still a kid. A kid who might've seen people die, but a kid all the same.

The Anthem was playing now and the face of the District 9 boy floated through the sky. How old was he, 16? Was that still young enough to be considered a kid?  
I lay down and let my eyes begin to droop. Soon, I was dreaming of my life back home before they called my name.

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _Still Strong Folks:_ Carina, Adonis, Urijah

 _Literally Nobody Else Is Allied These Kiddos Are All Alone:_ Foxy, Thessaly, Pellia, Desmond

* * *

Kills:

Foxy: 1 (Bolte)

Carina: 3 (Demara, Willow, Tihi)

Adonis: 1 (Equila)

Valkner: 3 (Zander, Everly, Harper)

Thessaly 1 (Valkner)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 3 (Dany, Fennel, Terran)

Mutts: 2 (Anya, Caxton)

Arena-Based: 2 (Lena, Eywill)

* * *

 **8th place: Terran Straw, District 9. Stomach slashed open by Urijah.**

 **Terran was a great guy. Though parts of his character did depend on Pellia (and vice versa), he was still strong enough to be his own person, with his own motives to get back home. Perhaps if he decided he wanted nothing to do with his district partner, things would've turned out differently. But he was selfless and made the ultimate sacrifice. It stung a little, since he and Pellia were one of the few alliance that actually got along. Thanks District 9 Tribute for Terran, and I hope you'll stick around to watch out for Pellia!**

* * *

 **Well, I've destroyed my feels. That's enough Fanfiction for tonight.**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. And stay tuned for Day 13!**


	45. Day 14: Splash

**I done goofed. It was supposed to say "Day 14" at the end of the last chapter. Whoops.**  
 **Well, here's Day 14 now.**

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

I knew that the arena was full of water. How could anybody miss the little trickling rivers flowing alongside them? However, I never knew where the water actually came from until I finally stumbled upon the lake.  
A look at the other side told me that tributes had been here before. An overturned boat bobbed gently along the waves. Tiny bits of bones littered the shore, covered with dried blood. I knew what bones looked like. I had seen plenty during the war and broke some myself when I slashed Bolte's neck clean.

 _Somebody has died here,_ I thought. _Perhaps more than one tribute._  
The water didn't seem to care. It rippled the way it always did. I had no clue what was making the ripples. They looked too unnatural.

Something gurgled. I clutched my sword even tighter and held it up, ready to make the first move. "Who's there?" I called out. There was no answer.  
I didn't trust the silence. Something was off and I wasn't going to rest until I was sure I was safe. "Come on, fight me! Show yourself!"

The water gurgled in response. I took a step back, but kept my confident posture. Hopefully, whatever tribute or mutt lurked nearby wouldn't notice my shaky hands.  
I took a deep breath. "A-alright. I'm going to give you one last chance. Then I'm coming over. So make the reveal. Now."

As if right on cue, a wave of water rushed onto the shore and swept away. I watched it go, shocked. The lake stayed the same, no ripples whatsoever. Almost as if the wave never appeared.

What just happened?

* * *

 _Pellia Sheath, 12_  
 _District 9 Female Tribute_

* * *

The arena was horrifying without Terran. I stumbled my way through, unsure what to do next. Part of me wanted to go looking for him. Part of me wanted to break down and cry.  
Eventually, I couldn't take it. I didn't want to be alone. I needed someone...someone to tell me I was gonna be fine, they would keep me safe. There was so such someone in the arena. Nobody wanted anything to do with a helpless little kid like me.

There was a rumbling sound in the distance. I ignored it, until it became to loud to forget. When I finally lifted my head, I was smothered by water.  
"HELP!" I screamed, spitting out a mouthful as the wave tore through the arena. I was paddling with my arms and legs desperately, hoping somehow I'd stay alive. I manged to get my head above the water and gulped in some air, right before the waves forced me down again.

 _No._ I kicked and thrashed, but only sank deeper. _No, I can't die. I don't wanna die!_  
I began to sob. It was no use. My salty tears just mixed in with water. My cries for help were ignored.

I couldn't bring myself to the top. My arms were tired. I simply sank. Not like a brick. Like a wildflower, left to drown because there was nobody left to save her.  
My lungs ran out of air. My ears popped. The world faded away, just a little bit at a time. Finally, a soft voice called for me.

 _Don't worry Pellia,_ he sang as he stretched out his arms. _You're safe now. I'll keep you safe._

"Terran," I muttered sleepily. I swam towards him, just as the bang went off.

* * *

 _Adonis Rupture, 18_  
 _District 2 Male Tribute_

* * *

We were lucky. We had seen the wave coming and we all grabbed onto some nearby trees. While I could do nothign about the water level rising over my head, there was a hole in my tree, where I stuck my nose in. I might've breathed in some ants, but it was better than drowning.

"Incoming!" Urijah shouted as debris flew by. A rock came tumbling through the currents and I ducked just in time. Carina, however, wasn't so lucky and a branch hit her in the face. I could see a small scratch forming on her cheek. However, the force caused her to let go of her tree and get swept up.  
I barely managed to extend my arm towards her and she grabbed on. Now there was a problem. I was loosing grip on my tree. Carina was much too heavy for me to support both of us with one hand.

I had to do something. But my grasp was getting weak. Just as I pulled myself back, Carina's hand slipped from mine and the waves pulled her away.  
The water chose this time to stop flowing. It drained away, rushing past us. I let go of my tree and slumped to the ground. However, the peace was short-lived.  
Urijah was standing over me. "Why did you let go?"  
"I didn't...mean to...she was much too heavy. Her hand slipped."  
"Yeah right."  
"No seriously. It was-''

Urijah pounced on me, his cold wet hands squeezing around my throat. I kicked and punched, hoping to throw him off. His daggers lay beside him and he grabbed one of them. I threw my hands up to cover my face and the blade slipped into the abdomen.  
There was no time to concentrate on the pain as Urijah went for another stab. And another. My limbs flailed, but did little to protect me.

Urijah dug the dagger just above my heart. Both the weapon and his hands were covered with my blood. "You screwed up so many times, your death was inevitable. Don't try and redeem yourself now, you knew you were bound to make mistakes. Hell, your volunteering was a mistake! Look where that got you!"

I wanted to ignore Urijah. But he was right. For me, the Games were just one train wreck. I let down my alliance. I let down my supporters.  
I let down my district.

"Any last words, 2?" Urijah sneered. I simply responded by spitting a glob a bloody saliva into his face. He hastily wiped it off and flung it away, snarling. Then he brought the dagger into my skull.

I hoped my siblings were watching. I hoped they beat the crap out of Urijah on his Victory Tour.

* * *

 _Carina Pitchcoff, 17_  
 _District 1 Female Tribute_

* * *

Wow. I survived.

I was certain I was doomed to drown. But I woke up on the arena floor, sopping wet. I placed a hand on my hip and felt my belt of knives still there. Good. Without them, I was screwed.  
Where was I? Certainly nowhere near my alliance. But they'd come, right? We had done a good job of scoping the arena and taking out tributes together.

I wandered around by myself. I didn't try to call out or make noise. There were still plenty of tributes left. Most wouldn't even hesitate before slaughtering me.  
BOOM!

I jumped. Aside from the one cannon I heard during the flood, I thought that nobody else was going to die. Who was it? Maybe the girl from 5. Last time I saw her was at the Feast and she hadn't appeared in the sky since then.  
Was it one of my allies? Oh no, those boys wouldn't be as stupid as to get themselves killed, would they? Besides me, nobody else was strong enough to take down Urijah or Adonis...

Except Urijah or Adonis.  
"Crap," I said. It was still too early for things to come down to that. I thought they knew better!

Waiting for the Anthem at night was complete torture. But finally night came. And as the faces began to appear, I instantly hoped for the best.  
The first face was Adonis.

My palm hit my forehead. Dammit Urijah! I knew that there were plans to kill Adonis once he stopped proving himself, but he already went ahead and did it.  
Pellia's face came next, but I didn't care. I was steaming mad at my allies for betraying each other so quickly. I was upset at Urijah's impulsiveness and violence.

"This alliance is done." I stamped my foot loudly to prove my point, though nobody else would hear. "No more good girl peacemaker Carina. I'm on my own now."  
There were seven this morning, but with two cannons fired, only five tributes remained. I had gone pretty far now. Maybe I could even make it home.

I wanted to go home. A tiny portion wanted to do so to spite Urijah, but I missed my family. District 1 was my life before these Games and I just couldn't wait to go back.

* * *

 _Alliances:_

 _Lol, What Alliance:_ Foxy, Carina, Thessaly, Desmond, Urijah

* * *

Kills:

Foxy: 1 (Bolte)

Carina: 3 (Demara, Willow, Tihi)

Adonis: 1 (Equila)

Valkner: 3 (Zander, Everly, Harper)

Thessaly: 1 (Valkner)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 4 (Adonis, Dany, Fennel, Terran)

Mutts: 2 (Anya, Caxton)

Arena-Based: 3 (Lena, Eywill, Pellia)

* * *

 **7th place: Pellia Sheath, District 9. Drowned.**

 **Because it would be boring if everyone got slaughtered by The Makeshift Careers. Aside from that, Pellia was such a sweet little girl. She was a huge break from the more serious and violent tributes in the arena. Her relationship with Terran was adorable and fun to write. I brought her this far, knowing that most tributes wouldn't actively seek her. Sorry to just crush your chances like that, District 9 Tribute, but thanks for everyone you submitted. I hope you'll stick around for this and OLS!**

 **6th place: Adonis Rupture, District 2. Stabbed repeatedly by Urijah.**

 **The alliance was doomed to fail and Adonis was obviously the first to go. I know that his reasons for volunteering and his pushover side never made him very popular, but I just saw him as a bit of a doof who knew what he wanted but not how to get it. The odds were stacked against him, as the weakest link in he most powerful alliance, but he proved his worth. Thanks for Adonis, Oli2Fab4u. You still have Foxy so the Games aren't yet over for you.**

* * *

 **Congrats to our final 5! We're getting dangerously close to our finale!  
Yeah, no more alliances. It's every man for himself now.  
**

 **See you all on Day 15!**


	46. Day 15: Blast from the Past

**So, so close! Next chapter will be our big finale!**

 **I bet if you read the chapter title, you're probably very confused. Let's just say that the time for a tribute reunion is past due.**

* * *

District 2

* * *

Nobody knew Adonis and Lena well enough to understand them. They would forever be seen as brainless teenagers in the eyes of the people. The Evangelos buried Lena next to her friend, but the sanity of her mother fell greatly. She couldn't understand Lena and Erin's relationship and drove herself mad trying to. Whenever talking about her daughter, she'd mutter over and over, "Why didn't she ever tell me?"

The Rupture house was very tense. The death of Adonis had a huge impact on his siblings but due to their 20-year contract, they couldn't drop out of Peacekeeping. Instead, they became good friends with the Head Peacekeeper, who was known for being extremely kind and laid-back. Gradually, they earned a reputation as the nicest Peacekeepers in the district.

* * *

 _District 9_

* * *

Terran's parents mourned quite a bit after losing their son, but grew closer together than ever before. They would continue on with their daily lives, while keeping Terran in their memory. Despite never knowing him, many little kids in troubled homes reported seeing the ghost of Terran watching over them while they slept, saying things were going to be alright someday.

After Pellia's death, her parents had to struggle with losing another child. Winnow ran off shortly afterwards. Two weeks later, she was discovered by Peacekeepers, starving and hiding in Pellia's favorite wheat field. She was brought back to the Sheath household, where her father gave her a hug and promised to treat his last remaining daughter with kindness and respect.

* * *

 _Desmond Juetar, 13_  
 _District 10 Male Tribute_

* * *

By now, I was certain I had been all over the arena. Everything looked new, but also rather familiar. Mud, trees, damp grass, more mud and trees.  
At this point, fatigue had settled in. I was not traveling as fast as a few days ago, when I had more energy to keep me going. Food was running out and it was harder to get sleep.

"Stay positive, Desmond. You've made it this far. Surely you can keep going another day or two."  
Positive thoughts were my adrenaline. The more optimistic I was, the less likely I would be to give up. But what was once means of extra encouragement was now becoming a daily chore.  
I was going to give up. I couldn't. I was so close and I couldn't quit now. That wouldn't be the least bit helpful, right?

"Almost there, almost there. You'll be out of here eventually-"  
"Well well well, what kind of nutcase do we have here?"  
I knew that voice. Somewhere, several days ago, I connected to voice to a body, the body that murdered a boy in front of me. The boy that tried to kill me as well.

Urijah's dagger missed its mark. I was already disappearing into the arena. He was following behind and wasn't having a hard time catching up. His legs were a lot longer.  
Just a bit further. Just a bit further and maybe I could lose him-

I slammed into something and fell into a nearby tree. However, there was nothing there. No wall, no obstacle. Whatever I felt, it was clearly invisible.  
The collision, mixed with the impact of three, was giving me a nasty headache. I wanted to lie down, hopefully clear my head. I didn't have to worry. Urijah's dagger was already sticking out of my back.

He let go of the handle and smirked. I slumped over, with no energy left to do anything else. As the world went fuzzy, I caught one last sight. A shadowy stranger, leaning over me, gently pressing two warm fingers against my throat.  
I let a small smile form on my lips. I had no clue why he was here, but it was nice to see a familiar face before I died.

BOOM!

* * *

 _Urijah Woodely, 18_  
 _District 11 Male Tribute_

* * *

The victory was short-lived. I saw him come from out of nowhere, bend over and feel for Desmond's pulse. When he found nothing, he stood up to face me instead. Nothing had changed, except for his black, dark eyes. He carried a wooden oar in his hands and smiled.  
"I'd knew you'd come back to finish him."

"F-fennel?" I gasped. "N-no, it can't be...you're dead! I killed you!"  
"Yeah, I know." His voice was empty, soulless. Not the voice of a musician, but the monsters that haunt you at night. "Did you really think I'd forget the name of the man who killed me?"  
"S-stay back!" I brandished my last dagger and tried to sound scary, but I was frightened. "I won't be afraid to do it again."

"Ahahah, you're a funny dude. But it's my turn to make some kills. Right Terran?"  
The boy stepped out from behind me. His intestines and organs were spilling from a heart slashed into his stomach. "Of course. I'm gonna do what you did to me and rip your chest open."

Terran lunged and Fennel swung his oar. I barely was able to duck and miss both attacks. I took off running, neither far behind. What was happening? I thought everybody was dead!  
Just to make things worse, an alligator hurried to block my path. Sitting on his back was Dany, pulling at the reigns tied to the animal's jaw. "GET HIM!"

The alligator quickly jumped onto my chest and knocked me onto my back. I tried to sit up, but Fennel's oar was pressed down over my chest. I just held up my hands to cover my face as he stepped into my view.  
"Nice work, boys. But save the last blow for me."  
"Sh-shut up, Adonis. You're gone. I don't need to deal with you."

Adonis rolled his eyes. He held up the dagger. MY dagger. "Drop the crap, Urijah. You had your fun, now it's my turn."  
"Go to hell."  
Adonis raised the dagger over his head. "I'll be seeing you there, then."

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

BOOM!  
 _Oh no. Oh no, no, no..._

I heard them shrieking, calling out, searching for those who killed them and get their revenge. I caught sight of the disfigured shadows, yet none were brave enough to chase after me.  
Because I wasn't the killer.  
I wasn't the one who had ended multiple lives. I never actively sought out kills. But it chilled me to the bone, to watch fallen enemies slowly come back to life.

"Foxy? Foxy! There you are!"  
"Stay back!" I yelled. "...BOLTE!?"  
Barely any of him had changed. However, one of his legs had been completely sawed off, leaving him to hobble and latch onto trees. "Hi Foxy! Remember me?"

"It's not you...its not you! The real you is dead! Keep away from me!"  
Bolte grinned. The sight was horrifying and goosebumps appeared on my arms. "Since you were actually so nice to kill me quickly, I'll give you a head start before I rip you to shreds. Five...four..."

I ran. I ran like my life depended on it. Suddenly, I burst into a clearing. There sat the Cornucopia, with nothing and nobody nearby.  
However, Bolte was good at catching up. He had stopped walking and was slithering along the ground, just like a snake. I grabbed the Cornucopia and began to climb, hoping to avoid him.

Out of the corner of my eye, a girl with bits of teeth stuck in her torso, who vaguely resembled Anya, tumbled over with a knife in her chest. Carina yanked the weapon free, then spun and slashed Willow's head open. Only it wasn't Willow. All the other tributes we were fighting against...they were not the real thing.

They were monsters.  
Bolte snapped at my leg. I shoved him off the Cornucopia and stuck my sword straight into his skull. Out of the wound, a thick black oil began to spill. Almost lie tar.  
"Help!" Carina screamed as she struggled to pull Tihi off her. I bent over and extended my hand. She grabbed on and I pulled her up onto the Cornucopia with me. The movement made Tihi let go. Carina slashed at her and kicked away the corpse.

Once they realized Carina was out of reach, the remaining tributes dashed off. I wasn't sure where they were going. Then I saw her jacket gleaming under the setting Sun and I knew.

* * *

 _Thessaly Tudor, 18_  
 _District 5 Female Tribute_

* * *

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!"  
"What's wrong, Thessaly?" Harper trilled. "Don't wanna see your old ally?"  
Her hands grabbed at my clothes. I tried to shrug her off. "get out of here before I spear your brains!"  
"You don't scare me anymore. I knew you were to betray me from the start. Use me as a mean of getting further. I hope you're happy."

"Don't you have Valkner to attack or something?"  
Harper laughed. The sound was nerve-wracking. "Oh you idiot. Don't you see? He's here...for you."  
A pair of claws attacked me from behind and clsoed around my throat. "Surprise..." Valkner whispered in my ear. His voice was like nails on chalkboard.

I pulled away from his grasp and broke into a run. My heart was pounding and I saw scared. Why were they back? What did Harper want from me? Was Valkner gonna kill me for spearing him?

I caught sight of the Cornucopia. It was hard to see in the fading light, but it was there. Hopefully, the clearing around would be of some sort advantage.  
There were two people standing on top of the Cornucopia. Two tributes who made it there before me. I waved, hoping to catch their attention. The monsters weren't far behind and I was certain I couldn't fight themselves all myself.

"Hey! Over here-"  
The hands pulled me back. My body slammed into a tree. I slipped down the trunk, into the mud. Hands blocked my vision as the tributes swarmed all over me. They bared their teeth and showed their fury.  
I put up a fight. I screamed. I punched. I kicked. But everyone had claws. They were tearing at my flesh. There was blood everywhere.

I failed. I was supposed to be the rebellious victor. I was supposed to defy the Capitol and win and go home to my family.  
But I failed. I couldn't even stop Valkner from tearing my organs out.

BOOM!

* * *

Kills:

Foxy: 1 (Bolte)

Carina: 3 (Demara, Willow, Tihi)

Adonis: 1 (Equila)

Valkner: 3 (Zander, Everly, Harper)

Thessaly: 1 (Valkner)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 5 (Adonis, Dany, Fennel, Terran, Desmond)

Mutts: 4 (Anya, Thessaly, Urijah, Caxton)

Arena-Based: 3 (Lena, Eywill, Pellia)

* * *

 **5th place: Desmond Juetar, District 10. Stabbed in the back by Urijah.**

 **Desmond was definitely a very caring and determined guy. He could've just given up, especially after allies and tributes he cared about, such as Fennel and Equila, kept perishing. Yet, he kept perverting and surviving past the eldest tributes in the arena. Being a lot smaller and less threatening, nobody really went after Desmond and he was left alone. Hope you're a proud parent, Platrium. 5th place is amazing for this little dude. I hope I'll see you in OLS!**

 **4th place: Urijah Woodley, District 11. Stabbed by Adonis mutt.**

 **Once I killed off Valkner and Eywill, I began to look for another tribute who I could turn into the next villain. I settled on Urijah, since he was violent and arrogant, and nobody really liked him. Despite his unpopularity, I enjoyed writing his arc because it was fun to watch him grow and develop. I had the idea for the mutts and wanted Adonis to get his revenge. If you're still reading, bookieworm04, thank you for Urijah. I hoped you liked what I did with him.**

 **3rd place: Thessaly Tudor, District 5. Mauled by tribute mutts.**

 **Obviously, the Gamemakers would not be happy with someone so openly rebellious winning the Games. I had planned Thessaly's entire death from the start and wanted her to go out with a bang. The mutts seemed like a really cool way to do it, especially due to Thessaly's interactions with such memorable characters, like Harper and Valkner. She was spirited and impulsive, but in the end, just wanted to go home. Sorry to destroy your chances like that, MessyModgePodge, but thanks for Thessaly. I hope to see you in OLS.**

* * *

 **Well, quite a chapter. What did you think of the mutts? Were you expecting that at all?**

 **Now, we're down to our final two. Foxy and Carina. Oh look, they're both from 1! But which contender is gonna win it for the district?**

 **That question is to be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned for it!**


	47. The Finale: Blood, Sweat and Tears

**Here we go! The final battle!**

 **After this, I'm planning to have two more chapters. From there, the story is wrapped up and I'll focus on Our Last Summer, where this Victor will appear. This chapter was done a little more quickly because I wanted to have my Victor announced before I revealed the cast list for Our Last Summer.  
**

 **This was not an easy decision. There were a lot of factors that went into the Victor of Rebellious Fate, multiple arguments with myself, talking my conflict out with some friends, asking what they thought was a better choice. I gradually narrowed down the playing field and finally had my last candidates: Foxy and Carina. Then...I chose.**

* * *

 _District 10_

* * *

Nobody was expecting a Victor, yet everyone was proud for the determined survival of Equila and Desmond. Two kids with the odds stacked against them, but made it to the top half.  
Equila's mother fell into a period of grieving, but manged to pull herself out of it to raise her last child Marshall. Too young to understand the gore of the Games, he believed for the next two years that his big sister was studying at a prestigious Capitol Academy.

Desmond's family made the mourning easier by being there and comforting one another. His friends visited the household from time to time and were in charge of his funeral music. As for Desmond's guitar, it was donated to a 12 year-old boy at the orphanage, who promised to cherish the prized gift for the rest of his life.

* * *

 _District 11_

* * *

Willow's father blamed himself for his daughter's death. He said that it was his fault, for arguing so much with his wife and forgetting how this impacted her. Her mother consoled him and shared in on the grief. They continued to raise Willow's little sisters, though her absence made them realize how much they needed to be there for one another.

Sasha Woodley was upset. Livid. Once she saw her brother die, she went nuts and destroyed their small television set in a blind rage. It wasn't enough and she wrecked the whole house in an angry frenzy. Eventually, one of Urijah's gang members came and took her to live with him, but the damage had already been done. Sasha tried but could never recover. Urijah had been her precious big brother...and now he was gone.

* * *

 _District 5_

* * *

The district was spitting mad. As soon as Thessaly dropped, the uprising occurred. People ran around the city, flying banners, waving torches, screaming insults at District 1. It was bad enough Foxy killed Bolte, but he just had to make it past Thessaly and watch her die!

The ruckus went on for hours, until additional Peacekeeper troops gradually chased citizens back into their homes. When the dust settled, Nona quickly snuck into the Tudor house and joined in on the quiet mourning. The Seymours just stared sadly at the empty wheelchair collecting dust in the corner. Both families could've joined the chaos, but death was not something that needed to be

* * *

 _Carina Pitchcoff, 17_  
 _District 1 Female Tribute_

* * *

I had forgotten he existed.

Foxy and I shook hands on the hovercraft. We made snarky comments, then dove into Games plans and cut off any previous interactions with the outside world. Somehow he survived. Who knows how. Maybe he magically turned into a fox and lived off the land for a couple of weeks.

But it was just us now. Two lone 1s, standing on top of the Cornucopia. In just a few minutes, only one of us would walk away alive.  
I had three knives left. I had to be careful. Foxy's sword wasn't meant for distance, so he wouldn't be afraid to get close. I couldn't just pounce and stab. I'd get impaled.

"I wasn't expecting you to make it this far," I muttered.  
"It's funny," Foxy replied.  
"Hey, it's gonna be a 1 in the number one spot. You realize that?"  
"Yeah...I did."

He slowly reached for his weapon but I made the first move. I threw my knife. Foxy just barely saw it coming and twisted his body to avoid injury. But he overestimated the distance and the blade caught him in the right shoulder.

"Augh!" His hand flew to the wound and pressed down tightly. His grip tightened around the sword and his eyes narrowed. "Oh, it is on."  
And the battle began.

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

That hurt. That really hurt.  
I swiped clumsily at Carina, and of course, missed. She took the opportunity, my distraction with the pain in my shoulder and jumped. I was slammed harshly against the Cornucopia, my head and upper torso dangerously hanging off. She grabbed my shirt with one hand and a knife with the other.

"It was nice knowing you," she said. "But only one can win. So long, Champagne."  
I brought my leg up and kneed her in the crotch. A dirty move, but it did the trick and Carina flopped over howling. I rolled over too, right onto my damaged shoulder.  
"AAAAAAHH!" I screamed. I let out the scream of someone in horrible pain. I tried to stand up, but it hurt too much. My arm sat lazily beside me, no longer useful

In that moment, I kicked Carina. She stumbled and her knife went sailing over the edge of the Cornucopia. It sank into the mud. She glanced at it first, then glared at me.  
"What was that you said about killing me?" I taunted.

"Just die already!" Carina yelled and pulled out her final knife. Unlike me, she was standing on her own two feet. It didn't make energy for her to charge at me.

I didn't have much time left to act. I couldn't move. I let my wound go and gripped the sword shakily with both hands. When Carina was close enough, I thrust the weapon forward and hoped for the best. Then I closed my eyes and braced for the impact of her stabbing me in the head.  
 _Here it comes..._  
It didn't come.

 _Come on, stop teasing me like that._ My thoughts were a jumbled mess. _If you're gonna kill me, do it already._  
What was taking so long? She had the chance and I was completely vulnerable! What happened? Did I delay my own demise?  
I carefully opened one eye. There was no knife sticking out of my skull.

Instead, there was a sword sticking out of her chest.

* * *

 _Carina Pitchcoff, 17_  
 _District 1 Female Tribute_

* * *

This wasn't supposed to happen.

This wasn't how my Games were supposed to end. I was supposed to slaughter Foxy, claim the kill and be done with it. I was supposed to go home Victor. I was supposed to celebrate me turning 18, 19, 20. I was supposed to marry the man of my dreams, settle down, maybe have a few kids. I was supposed to grow old and die in a big comfy bed, surrounded by loved ones and have a peaceful passing away.

Now, I was kneeling on a cold, hard, metal Cornucopia, clutching at a sword stuck in my body, with blood spilling all over my fingers. Foxy, who had just collapsed and was lying beside me, was just as surprised. His shoulder looked better than my torso, but it was clear he was also losing blood.

Why did he care!? He won for crying out loud! I was just as god as dead. And I felt it too. As for the pain...there was no pain. I could feel my body slowly dying and couldn't feel and agony that came along with it.  
It was terrifying. This was the worst feeling a human could ever experience. Nothing at all.

The trees in the background were fuzzy. I couldn't tell them apart from mud. I moved my fingers, but there was no sense of touch. My blood was warm and sticky.  
So this is how I am going to die.

Foxy was moving now. But he just looked like a blurry photo. He reached for the sword and yanked it free. I wouldn't be able to tell. My chest was so numb, I just felt a slight discomfort.  
"Make it quick," I choked out. "It'll be easier...for the both of us."  
"You should've won in my place." he said quietly.

I tried to win. And look where that got me.  
"Go home Foxy..." I slurred. "You need to go home."

Foxy whispered some last words I couldn't understand. Then he stabbed me and the world went dark. I found myself floating in a chasm, the balance between life and death. Then something boomed, shaking the place, and I found myself floating away.

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _District 1 Male Tribute_

* * *

The cannon was torture. In the stillness of the arena, it didn't seem to fit and only made the situation worse. I waited, in case there was one last tribute running as fast as they could to kill me.  
Nobody came. I was alone.

Suddenly, the world sprung to life and trumpets began to blare. Joyful music played and the voice of Taurus Blackman called out.  
"Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you, the Victor of the 2nd annual Hunger Games, Foxy Champagne of District 1!"

Victor. I was now a Victor.

A minute passed and the words sank in. Suddenly, all hell broke loose.  
I doubled over and my emotions broke free. I began cackling, sobbing, with practically no clue why. I was laughing because I was crying and crying because I was laughing. 15 days of bloodshed and the Games were finally over.

A bright light shone down on me. A hovercraft. A ladder dropped down with two Avoxes. A picked up Carina's corpse while the other held the ladder sill for me. I grabbed on and climbed in, excitedly. We took off, away from the horrible arena.

I was going home.

* * *

Kills:

Foxy: 2 (Carina, Bolte)

Carina: 3 (Demara, Willow, Tihi)

Adonis: 1 (Equila)

Valkner: 3 (Zander, Everly, Harper)

Thessaly: 1 (Valkner)

Terran: 1 (Florina)

Urijah: 5 (Adonis, Dany, Fennel, Terran, Desmond)

Mutts: 4 (Anya, Thessaly, Urijah, Caxton)

Arena-Based: 3 (Lena, Eywill, Pellia)

* * *

 **2nd place: Carina Pitchcoff, District 1. Impaled by Foxy.**

 **I had made some hard decisions for this SYOT, but this was the most difficult. I loved Carina, I practically adored her. She was amazing and skilled. She killed, but never turned too bloodthirsty or violent. She acted as the peacemaker of her alliance. She was strong and brave. She broke District 1 stereotypes that didn't even exist at this point.**

 **But there were some other factors I looked at, categories where Foxy seemed to be the better fit. I had set up the gist of Our Last Summer's plot, but it was hard to fit Carina in. This was a bit disappointing as I so very much wanted her to live. But there can only be one Victor and the choice was made.**

 **However, this is not the last we will hear of Carina Pitchcoff. While she won't be alive for it, she'll become a very important figure in the development in District 1 tributes and the rise of early Careers. Tribute00, I know that second place stings an awful lot, but Carina did a really amazing job. I hope you proud of her an that I'll see you in Our Last Summer.**

* * *

 **Now, onto our good man Foxy Champagne. I knew he wasn't a strong as Carina and had just barely recovered from a long mourning period before being thrown into the Games. But he played a good strategy and now returns home, destined to mentor future kids. Foxy will be returning in Our Last Summer, where he will have a role of his own and will continue to grow and change.**

 **My congratulations to Oli2Fab4u. I don't know if you've ever had a Victor before, but here you go! Nice job!**

 **That's all I have to say for this chapter. The Games are over and soon, we'll be visiting District 1 to see how they handle the victory.**


	48. Moving On

**Second-last chapter, woot!**

 **Here, we get to see how Foxy is adjusting to Victor's life. I skipped over his interview with Gene, since I didn't really have anything to add.**

* * *

 _District 1_

* * *

Every citizen held their breath when the finale ended and a cannon sounded. They barely understood the news that they would soon have a Victor of their own. It all seemed too unreal, watching the bloody disheveled Foxy become the sole survivor.

And then they all went nuts.  
Cheers erupted from the Justice Building, the marketplace, the several jewellery and craft stores lining the streets. People burst out of their homes and danced around with one another. Noisemakers went off, confetti flew, a silver banner that read "WELCOME HOME!" was unraveled and flew in the wind.

Crowds made their way to the Champagne household, storming in uninvited, announcing their congratulations, envy and joy. It took a good half an hour, but Foxy's aunt eventually shooed everyone out and barricaded the door. She wanted a peaceful moment with her husband and kids, celebration her nephew's return. After living with them for two years, Foxy had become one of the family and was returning home.

How proud his parents would've been.

The festivities lasted well into the next day, when television sets were turned on to hear Foxy give his interview with Genevieve. He wore a neat grey suit, which matched Carina's eyes. He seemed nervous at first, but gradually relaxed. If anything, Foxy just looked like he wanted the interview to be done with.  
It was impossible for Foxy to get off the train back in 1. He was practically mobbed by screaming fans and had to be escorted to Victor's Village by Peacekeepers. Everyone regarded him as a celebrity, a hero.

Except for one family.  
When Foxy's Victory was announced, the Pitchcoffs simply shut off the television, locked the door, and clsoed the curtains. They could hear the shouts outside, but did not feel like joining them. They respected Foxy, too sad to get mad at him, but beloved Carina was gone. She was a fighter, and they respected that. But in the end, Carina just wanted to get home, to her mother, father and older brother. All three moved on with their lives, but never forgot.

As for Foxy, the hype died down and he began his quiet life in Victor's Village.

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _Victor of the 2nd Annual Hunger Games_

* * *

My aunt and uncle wanted to move in to keep an eye on me, but a Capitol doctor suggested I spend a week alone before that happened. I had no clue what that would accomplish. He said it would help me adjust to a normal routine.  
That week felt like an eternity. I was jumpy at every little noise. I had a hard time sleeping, out of fear someone would come to kill me. One night, I heard someone pacing in the kitchen. It was just a stray cat. I chased him out with a broom.

Finally, the week was up. I was sitting in my living room, waiting for my relatives to arrive.  
Minutes passed slowly, then an hour. I started to get antsy. Finally, there was a knock on the door. I hurried to open it, but my aunt and uncle weren't standing there.

It was Sliver Wirth.

"How did you get here?" I asked.  
"Pulled a few strings. Did you know that your escort's brother owns a private hovercraft?"  
I didn't. I welcomed Sliver inside. He held up a wooden board. "Brought this. Wanna play some chess?"

A few minutes later, the game was set up, all the pieces in their spots. Sliver went first and slid a pawn across some squares. I copied his move.  
"...so" Sliver muttered. "Victor of the Hunger Games."  
"Yeah."  
"Must be nice."  
"Meh."

He stopped talking for a minute, concentrated on moving a knight around. "It's a big achievement. It means survival. Survival that twenty-three others didn't get."  
"When you put it that way." Sliver scooped up one of my pawns. I glanced over at the figure. How elegantly carved it was. With so much precision, craft and care.

"This board is beautiful."  
"I know. My..." Sliver's voice died a little bit and he stopped looking me in the eye. "...my dad made it for me."  
"He did?"

"Yeah. Gift for my 13th birthday. We'd play all the time, using a set we borrowed from my cousins. On this board, on our first game together...I finally got to beat him."  
I could see him blinking back tears. Suddenly, the game felt...foreign to me. As if I had stolen a family tradition and claimed it as my own.

I moved my rook, grabbing a pawn. Sliver frowned.  
"Is it...easy to talk about dead family like that? Does it hurt...you know...to say it?"  
He raised an eyebrow. "Well, it was hard. Actually, for three months after my Games...I had to see a therapist."

"You. Therapist."  
"Yeah. But it helped. There's a lot of stuff he told me, stuff that might help you and helped me."  
"Like what?"

"He said that painful things happen sometimes. We watch loved ones die, lose precious things. It's life and it's often out of our control."  
"I know," I sighed. I had learned this lesson a long time ago, yet continued to put the blame on myself. For a pair of deaths I could do nothing about.

"When I lost my dad, I tried to cover it up. It was such a struggle to understand. My father had always been a big part of my life. The man of the family, the devoted husband, the playful and caring father. He left big shoes for me to fill, at a time when I didn't understand how to fill them."  
Sliver was now starting to cry. He wiped some tears away, then snatched my knight. Alongside that, I was down three pawns and a rook.

"To make things worse, I got thrown into the Hunger Games. A scared, wimpy 17 year-old, who had just gone through a difficult time, now had to face even more bloodshed. And I got pulled out, a lot different than before. However, I learned one lesson."  
"What's that?"

"Grieving is nice. Mourning is nice. Having a bit of time to just cry your heart out in loss is nice. Foxy, don't ever be afraid to cry."  
These words stung. For so long, I had been quiet and asocial. I never grieved in public, because this was a battle I thought I had to fight alone. Yet Sliver had gone through a similar thing and pulled himself together.

"Is that all?"  
"That's just the first part. The second part is living the rest of your life. If you're constantly stuck in the past, you'll never be able to face the future. You need to try and pull the weight off your shoulders. Don't get stuck in death's shadow. Separate yourself from all these depressing feelings, and try to move on forwards, making every last second count."

"I've tried. It's not easy."  
"Of course it isn't. It's love, that's the problem. But if you take all the love you have left and put it into those who are still with you, then things will get better. Don't take your surviving family for granted because they'll be gone someday, and the process repeats itself."

"But sometimes...it gets really bad...then I start to miss them so much."  
"Remember. Don't ever be afraid to cry." Sliver gave me a small smile. "Checkmate."

He whacked my king, sending it flying off the board and onto the floor, where it rolled to my feet.  
"Hey, no fair!" I growled. "You got an extra turn!"  
"It's not my fault you're so lousy."

"Oh yeah?" I picked up the piece. "Rematch. You and me."

Someone knocked on the door and Sliver quickly picked up the pawns and chessboard. "Maybe later, Foxy. Have a nice night."

* * *

 **Sliver is chess master. Enough said.**


	49. The 3rd Hunger Games

**Here we go, the final chapter of Rebellious Fate! Consider it my early Christmas present to you.**

* * *

 _Foxy Champagne, 17_  
 _Victor of the 2nd Annual Hunger Games_

* * *

Reaping Day came too son. Once again, I found myself back at the Justice Building. This time, I was sitting on the stage, next to the mayor. Benjamin shot me a look of pity before he hastily grabbed a slip and read the name out loud to the crowd. "Cordelia Withlock!"

Cordelia was a 15 year-old girl with dark skin and nervous brown eyes who said nothign and slowly made her way up towards the stage. Through procedure, Benjamin asked if anyone was to volunteer for Cordelia. However, a clear voice yelled back, "I VOLUNTEER!"

The volunteer ran from the 17 year-old section and happily stood beside Benjamin. She introduced herself as Dazelle Fairberg, future Hunger Games victor. I just rolled my eyes as Dazelle flipped her blonde hair and smirked confidently.

Benjamin seemed to be handling the situation better than I was. "Okay, thank you Dazelle. And our male tribute is...Mercury Vonling!"  
There was a commotion in the back as a 12 year-old boy with pale skin and black hair was guided towards me by a Peacekeeper. I glanced over to the adults, where there were shouts of fear and a woman fainting.

Things suddenly got even more confusing. I heard someone scream, "NO! I VOLUNTEER!" An 18 year-old shoved himself through the crowd, then yanked Mercury into his arms. The Peacekeeper grabbed him and yanked him onto the stage.  
Everyone was shocked. "So...young man, what's your name?" Benjamin asked.

"Aris Vonling." His tone made it clear we wouldn't get much else.  
With that, the Reapings were over. Aris and Dazelle shook hands. I followed Benjamin onto the train, then collapsed on the couch.

"On the bright side of things, you get to mentor District 1's first male and female volunteers." Benjamin shrugged.  
I sighed. "Is that really a good thing?"

* * *

It wasn't. I tried asking Dazelle and Aris why they volunteered, not happy with either response.  
Dazelle did her signature smirk that was getting on my nerves. "To win, duh! Why else would I go into these stupid Games?"

"I volunteered for my brother," Aris responded.  
"Why?"  
"Um...because he's only 12 and it's my job as the older son to protect him! Why do you think?"  
"I just thought-"

"Forget it," Aris hissed. "My dad died three years ago and my mom's never home, doing who knows what. I have to play parent to Mercury because nobody else will! I bet you don't understand! I bet you've never gone through any of my hardships! You don't know what it's like losing somebody you love!"

If only this kid knew who he was talking to. If only he knew about my life during the rebellion. Of course, I wasn't the only one who suffered. Lots of families were torn apart. But as someone who lost two people I loved, then was thrown unprepared into the Games, I had gone through a lot. I could relate to Aris.

I tried. I tried apologizing to him, making small talk, giving compliments and advice. He refused to listen to me. Anytime he spoke to me, it was always about how I didn't understand.  
The Games situation wasn't any better. My tributes couldn't survive on their own. They needed allies. But Aris was too solitary, Dazelle too stupid. As a mentor, I'd have to talk matters into my own hands.

"Hey Jasmine! Wait up!"  
Jasmine topped walking down the hall and turned around. She had been mentoring District 2 since the Games started. She was the one to talk to.  
"Yes Foxy?"  
"I want to propose an alliance."  
"An alliance?"

I quickly explained my plan. Jasmine's tributes were named Hestia and Claymore. They were both on the older side. Together with my tributes, they could a form a nice alliance. While I knew there was no way they'd all remain loyal, I could at least keep one or both of my own tributes out of the Bloodbath. That was my biggest concern.

Jasmine agreed. After a long period of persuasion, Aris and Dazelle agreed. Finally, the morning after Interviews, the tributes said their goodbyes and were loaded into the arena.

The arena was unlike one I had ever seen. For starters, it was indoors. The rooms were gold and grand. Machines lined the walls, blaring loud music and blinding lights. Money was everywhere. The arena was a giant casino.

I began to hope for the alliance. My biggest worry was Claymore. He was the only volunteer from 2 this year, doing it on a whim. While he was clearly displaying the confident fighter angle, he looked the part too. I knew that if he had the chance, he'd snap his ally's neck.

I held my breath and the Games began.

* * *

The center of the main floor had been cleared for the Cornucopia. A bit smaller than last year, it was still loaded with weapons and supplies. A gong sounded and everyone surged towards it.  
Unsurprisingly, Claymore claimed the first kill. He grabbed a shield, then noticed the boy from 11 running towards him. He didn't even hesitate before slamming the shield into the boy's head until the tribute was dead.

More and more began to drop. The girl from 6 threw a dagger into the head of the girl from 4, but was quickly cut down by Hestia. Aris lobbed a spear and plunged it into the nearest chest, killing the District 8 boy. Sliver wasn't going to be too happy about that one.

And then it happened. I hoped it wouldn't, but it did.  
Dazelle was frantically searching for a weapon. Finally, she picked up a sickle. By then, it was too late. The District 5 tributes rammed her to the ground and the boy slashed his sword across her stomach. Aris threw a second spear and got rid of him, but the damage was done.

 _Revenge,_ I thought to myself. This was revenge for last year, when I killed one 5 tribute and left the other to die. They would get what they wanted through Aris and Dazelle. By killing them.

Six tributes were killed in the Bloodbath. One of them was my own. I stared at the camera screens sadly as Aris and his allies watched the faces appear in the sky. They later found the boy from 12 hiding behind a slot machine. Claymore quickly slit his throat.

The games would only last 6 days. Claymore, Aris and Hestia dominated the playing field, easily cleaning through tributes. After his first two kills on Day 1, Claymore claimed two more, by throwing a dagger into the District 4 male's skull, and chasing down the boy from 10. Aris got his third kill. I started saying my prayers. Bit by bit, he was coming close.

On day 5, only six tributes remained. There was Claymore, Hestia, Aris. There was also Sliver's last tribute, the District 8 female. The District 3 male. And one I had been fearing from the start. The girl from 5.  
i saw her running down a flight of stairs. I saw where Aris and his allies were standing. I wanted to scream out and try to save Aris.

But I could only watch.

Her knife was thrown into his gut. Aris gurgled violently and spit out a huge wad of blood. Hestia quickly reacted and tackled the girl to the ground. Her cannon sounded first, but my eyes were on the dying Aris.  
Claymore was standing over him. He simply bent down and leaned over. "I think we all saw this coming."

"Sh-hut up," Aris groaned.  
"You killed her district partner after he killed yours. Revenge...it ain't so sweet when it bites you, huh?"  
"What do you know..." Aris coughed. "I'm dying. And it hurts."

"Want me to make it stop hurting?"  
"I don't care what you do-" Aris was cut off by Claymore slicing a dagger across his neck. Tears welled up in my eyes as the cannon boomed and Aris was left with his head cleanly chopped off.  
"You said you didn't care. It was easier for both of us."

* * *

Sure enough, Clamore went on to win the 3rd Hunger Games. H ended up with a grand total of 6 kills, three time more than the amount of kills I made. He was a popular tribute, I wasn't going to deny that. But Aris had mad it so far, only to get a knife thrown into him. What irked me even more was that Aris was even listed as Claymore's kill.

I wanted nothing to do with the man, but Sliver made me say hello anyways. We found Claymore in his dressing room, before his interview began. He wasn't as cocky as he had been in the Games, revealing the more modest and adult side of him. We asked him questions, and in return he asked us questions. We shared our sympathy for Aris and Dazelle.

Before I left, Claymore suggested that we try the alliance next year. I agreed. It wasn't a bad mix and even produced a Victor. Maybe I'd get lucky next time.  
I took a hovercraft home, just in time to hear the news. My aunt had caught a horrible illness while I was away. The doctor said she didn't have much time left.

Her last few days were spent in her bedroom at Victor's Village. My uncle and I sat next to her. I was clutching one of her pale hands, hoping I could somehow transfer my life into the boy of the frail and weak woman lying next to me.

After minutes of horrible silence, she finally spoke.  
"Foxy...I've always been proud of you. Very proud of you."  
"I know," I replied and my tears didn't bother to hide themselves. "You're always proud of your kids."  
"And...you are one to me...one of my kids..."

I couldn't help it. I started crying.

The funeral was held a week later. I delivered a small speech and joined my cousins in the silent crying and mourning. We shared happy memories, we hared hurtful ones. I felt a drop of water on my shoulder. Someone, someone far above me was crying. My parents.

We carried the casket over and gently lowered it into the grave. I helped shovel the dirt on top, then planted a small bouquet of flowers at the head, where the tombstone sat.

It was our last summer together.

* * *

 **There we go! There's the finale! There's Claymore!**

 **As you can see, early Career alliances are starting to form. That's where Carina's strategy came into play, since she was part of an alliance that featured a District 2 tribute and made a lot of kills.**

 **Did you like the Games? Foxy's first time mentoring? Was the funeral sad? Did you like the tie-in to OLS?**

 **Thank you to everyone who submitted, read and reviewed. This story wouldn't have been a success with you and your participation. With that, I kiss Rebellious Fate goodbye and move onto Our Last Summer. I hope I'll see you all there.**

 **-66samvr.**


End file.
